Stakeholders to come together for strategy for TB free India by 2025: Dr Harsh Vardhan

He further suggested that innovative approaches should be adopted to address TB and directed that eliminating TB should be made into a ‘Jan Andolan’.

Dr Harsh Vardhan, Union Minister for Health and Family Welfare held a high-level meeting to review the status of the Revised National Tuberculosis Control Program (RNTCP), here today. Ms Preeti Sudan, Secretary (HFW), Shri Sanjeeva Kumar, AS (H), Shri Manoj Jhalani, AS & MD and other senior officers of the Health Ministry were present at the meeting.

Taking stock of the Tuberculosis Control Program, Dr Harsh Vardhan directed the officials for taking up the elimination of TB on a 'Mission Mode', which would include all stakeholders to come together for an aggressive strategy for TB free India by 2025. "Hon. Prime Minister has given a clarion call to made India free of Tuberculosis by 2025, five years earlier than the global target. Let us develop a comprehensive and focussed high profile strategic action plan by bringing together synergies of all systems and available resources across the government and non-government sectors", he stated in the meeting.

He further suggested that innovative approaches should be adopted to address TB and directed that eliminating TB should be made into a 'Jan Andolan'. The Union Health Minister suggested roping in other Ministries, State Governments, MPs, MLAs, NGOs, civil society organisations and media so that sustained efforts are made in combating TB. He further directed the officials to take up new interventions and mount aggressive awareness campaigns so that the whole country is in sync with the 'TB Harega Desh Jitega' slogan.

(With Inputs from PIB)