KOLKATA: The health ministry has selected East Midnapore for the gold category award for its achievement in reducing incidence of tuberculosis (TB) in the district.
East Midnapore is among the eight districts across India to have won an award in this category. The selection is done after a thorough verification process conducted by ICMR-National Institute of Research in Tuberculosis during February-March 2022 in collaboration with ICMR-National Institute of Epidemiology Chennai, Indian Association of Preventive and Social Medicine and WHO, India.
As part of India’s TB elimination target by 2025, the ministry had rolled out an initiative called Sub-national Certification of Progress towards TB-free Status in 2020-21. Accordingly, decline in TB from 2015 was measured. Districts achieving 60% reduction in TB incidence were chosen for the gold award. East Midnappore now rubs shoulder with Kerala’s Wayanad and Malappuram to bag this award.
Nadia district has also won the award in the bronze category, being given to districts showing 20% reduction in cases.
