President Droupadi Murmu virtually launched the Pradhan Mantri TB Mukt Bharat Abhiyaan on Friday. Speaking on the occasion, the President said it was the duty of all citizens to give high priority to the anti-tuberculosis campaign and make it a mass movement.
Tuberculosis caused the largest number of deaths among all other infectious diseases in the country. India had a little less than 20 per cent of the world’s population, but had more than 25 per cent of the total TB patients of the world. “This is a matter of concern,’‘ said the President, adding that most of the TB-affected people came from the poor sections of society.
The President said that the thinking and methodology of ‘New India’ was to make India a leading nation of the world. India had set an example to the world in tackling the COVID-19 pandemic. The policy of ‘New India’ to move forward with confidence was also visible in the field of TB eradication. “According to the United Nations Sustainable Development Goals, all nations have set the goal of eradicating TB by the year 2030. But the Government of India has set the target of eradicating TB by the year 2025 and efforts are being made at every level to fulfil this resolution.”
The President said that to make this campaign a mass movement, awareness about TB should be created among the people. “They have to be informed that prevention of this disease is possible. Its treatment is effective and accessible and the government provides free-of-cost facilities for prevention and treatment of this disease,’‘ said the President.
She said that in some patients or communities, there was an inferiority complex associated with this disease, and they viewed it as a stigma. “This illusion also has to be eradicated. Everyone should be aware that TB germs are often present in everyone’s body. When the immunity of a person, due to some reason, decreases, then this disease expresses in the person. With treatment, one can definitely get rid of this disease. All these things should reach the people. Then the people affected by TB will be able to take advantage of the treatment facilities,” she said.
The Pradhan Mantri TB Mukt Bharat Abhiyaan has been envisioned to bring together all community stakeholders to support those on TB treatment and accelerate the country’s progress towards TB elimination.
The virtual event was attended by Union Minister of Health and Family Welfare Mansukh Mandaviya, Minister of State for Health and Family Welfare Bharati Pravin Pawar, among others.
