Centre working to eliminate tuberculosis by 2025 : Harsh

The Centre is working to eliminate tuberculosis from the country by 2025 and Mission Indradhanush is already operational for the purpose, Union Health Minister Harsh Vardhan on Saturday said. The government is also working to eradicate several other diseases like kala-azar and measles from the country, he said.

"By 2025, we wish to eliminate tuberculosis from India. We have ambitious plans of universal immunization program delivered to 100 percent of people all over the country ... And for that 'Mission Indradhanush' is already running," Harsh Vardhan told reporters on the sidelines of a program here. "We are also working for the elimination of many other diseases in the country like Kala-azar and measles," he said. Launched in 2014, Mission Indradhanush is a health mission of the central government seeking to drive towards 90 percent immunization coverage in the country.

The union minister said, "We have a very ambitious program in terms of Ayushman Bharat. By the end of 2022 we propose to set up 1.5 lakh health and wellness center all over the country. Already 30,000 are being set up and by March-end we will have around 40,000 centers". The union minister, however, did not take any question on the government's plan to deal with novel coronavirus.