Srinagar: Calling for collaborative efforts towards eliminating tuberculosis, Lieutenant Governor Manoj Sinha chaired a high-level meeting to review the implementation of the Pradhan Mantri TB Mukt Bharat Abhiyaan in Jammu and Kashmir.
During the session, he impressed upon officials that “TB Mukt Jammu Kashmir should be our common goal” and stressed the need for accelerated action to achieve TB elimination by 2025, in line with the national target.
The review meeting was attended by Chief Secretary Atal Dulloo, Principal Secretary to the LG Dr. Mandeep K. Bhandari, Secretary Health and Medical Education Dr. Syed Abid Rasheed Shah, Mission Director NHM J&K Baseer Ul Haq Chaudhary, Deputy Commissioners from both divisions, and senior health officials from across the UT.
The administration assessed the current progress of the TB elimination drive and discussed actionable plans to boost case detection, improve treatment outcomes, and strengthen inter-departmental coordination.
Emphasis was laid on intensifying ground-level implementation, with directions to ensure active participation of field functionaries, timely monitoring of TB patients, and strict medicine adherence to prevent treatment failure or development of drug-resistant TB strains.
To widen access to timely diagnosis, officials were instructed to ensure the availability of CBNAAT and TrueNat diagnostic machines across all districts. These tools are critical for rapid and accurate TB detection, especially in remote and underserved areas.
LG also directed the Health Department to leverage mass media and community platforms to promote awareness. He called for increased Information, Education, and Communication (IEC) efforts through SMS alerts, follow-up calls, and digital outreach, ensuring consistent engagement with TB patients.
Deputy Commissioners were urged to lead grassroots-level awareness drives in their districts, involving religious leaders, doctors, community elders, SHGs, and youth clubs to eliminate the stigma around TB. Greater public involvement, the LG noted, would help identify undiagnosed cases earlier and promote treatment compliance.
The meeting also reviewed the performance of Jammu and Kashmir under various components of the National TB Elimination Programme (NTEP), including the implementation of the TB Mukt Panchayat initiative, media workshops, and the saturation of Ayushman Bharat Golden Cards.
The role of Ni-Kshay Mitras—volunteers who adopt TB patients to support them during treatment—was also highlighted as a key community-driven model. The administration intends to further promote this initiative to ensure that patients receive not just medical attention, but also moral and nutritional support.
A detailed presentation was given by Dr. Syed Abid Rasheed Shah, Secretary Health and Medical Education, outlining district-wise TB data, presumptive testing rates, treatment success rates, and progress under strategic interventions.
The LG concluded by reiterating the government’s commitment to transforming the TB elimination program into a people’s movement, ensuring that no patient is left behind, and that Jammu and Kashmir sets a model for public health advancement and disease-free communities.
