Jharkhand Governor Ramesh Bais on Friday kicked off the state level 'Pradhan Mantri TB Mukt Bharat Abhiyan' (TB free India campaign) with an aim to eliminate tuberculosis from the state by 2025.
President Droupadi Murmu had launched the nationwide TB free India campaign on September 9. The United Nation has set 2030 as target for TB elimination but India has decided to end the disease from the country by 2025, Bais said.
"Elimination of tuberculosis is not tough. It just needs commitment, awareness among people and regular medicine that needs to be taken by patients," the governor said. He added that in surveys, it has been found that nutrition level is not satisfactory among TB patients.
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"Under Ni-kshay nutrition scheme, TB patients are given Rs 500 in their bank accounts through direct benefit transfer for nutritious food. I invite the corporate houses, people’s representatives, government and non-government organizations, political parties and common people to adopt TB patients so that they could be provided help according to their needs," he said.
University and private institution students can also contribute by identifying TB patients and helping to get them treated, he said. The governor also asked the state health minister Banna Gupta to pay some attention on improvement in services of Rajendra Institute of Medical Sciences (RIMS)
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Earlier, the health minister said as many as 34,241 TB patients are undergoing treatment in Jharkhand. "Around 19,000 Ni-kshay mitras have been created to ensure adequate and nutritional food for those being treated for tuberculosis," he said.
(With PTI Inputs)
