Jammu (NVI): With an aim of seeing Tuberculosis (TB)-free Jammu and Kashmir by 2025, government of the Union Territory today launched the TB elimination action plan.
While launching the programme, Commissioner of Health and Medical Education Atal Dulloo said the elimination of TB is a clear vision set by the Prime Minister.
“We have to undertake the activities under the National Strategic Plan for TB Elimination forward in a mission mode for ending the epidemic by 2025,” he said.
“The goal of the government is to accelerate the universal TB coverage and preventive services,” he said.
“The objective is to promote health seeking behaviour in the community for early case detection and prevention of emergence of new cases of TB,” he said.
He emphasized on the need to ensure patient centric care and expand TB care through engagement of various stakeholders, including the community.
“Significant progress has been made but a lot more needs to be done and government is fully committed to intensify its efforts to achieve the target by 2025,” he added.
He also pointed out various components for TB elimination strategy and laid stress on generation of awareness through Advocacy, Communication and Social Mobilization (ACSM).
“Locals will be involved for planning for TB elimination by creating aggressive Information, Education and Communication awareness using all forms of media about TB and generating data base of vulnerable populations,” he said.
“The government has set the target to achieve the sustainable development goals related to TB by the year 2025 as against the global target of 2030,” he said.
“The country is implementing a National Strategic Plan 2017-25 to end TB by 2025,” he said.
“Revised National TB Control Programme (RNTCP) was launched in J&K in April 2004 and was then extended to all districts of J&K by September 2005,” he added.
“There are 12 district TB centres, 104 treatment units and 164 designated microscopic centres in J&K,” he further added.
