Uttar Pradesh will launch a 100-day TB search campaign from Saturday in keeping with the nation’s 'STOP TB 2025' promise.
Internationally, one in five persons infected with tuberculosis comes from the state. The campaign will identify patients, offer and monitor treatment to reduce mortality and prevent the spread of the disease. To be continued till March 2025, the campaign will focus on tracing, testing, treatment and inter-departmental coordination.
Fifteen districts, including Amethi, Ayodhya, Barabanki, Rae Bareli and Sultanpur of UP have been selected for this intensive campaign that will make use of innovative methods to drive out TB. In all these selected districts mortality due to TB has been more than the national average of 3.6 per cent in 2023.
As per data by the state’s Technical Support Unit for Health, 64 per cent of those with tuberculosis symptoms do not seek medical help, while more than half of those who seek help for TB first go to a private facility despite the nationwide government-run tuberculosis programme.
Under the 100-day campaign, potential TB carriers and their family members will be tested in addition to those in close proximity. High risk individuals including drug users, smokers and those suffering from HIV-AIDS will also be tested. Since TB cases are often detected too late due to patients’ reluctance a death audit of all tuberculosis health facilities will also be conducted.
The Nikshay Poshan Yojana, a central government-run scheme which gives Rs 500 monthly to a tuberculosis patient to buy food will also be surveyed and strengthened. The campaign will offer preventive treatment to those in the vicinity of a newly detected patient. Nikshay Mitra- a government scheme that allows organisations, NGOs and individuals to adopt TB patients and offer any kind of possible support, will also be involved in the campaign.
The campaign will be a coordinated effort of 18 government departments.
