Officials told to prioritise early detection for TB elimination

 Vijayawada: Governor S Abdul Nazeer on Wednesday emphasised that early identification and prompt treatment are crucial to achieving the national goal of Tuberculosis (TB) elimination.

During a meeting at Raj Bhavan, state and Central government officials presented an overview of the ‘TB-Mukt Bharat Abhiyan’ (TB-Free India Campaign) implementation in Andhra Pradesh to the Governor.

Governor Abdul Nazeer underscored the importance of strengthening community engagement through ‘Jan Bhagidari’ (people’s participation) activities. He also stressed the need for inter-departmental convergence to ensure the effective eradication of TB across the state.

Demonstrating his commitment to the initiative, the Governor registered his name on the Ni-kshay portal, receiving an ID card from the officials present.

Dr Bhawani Singh Kushwaha, TB officer, CTD; Dr D Dharma Rao, national consultant (Ni-kshay Mitra Initiative) and Dr T Ramesh, joint director, TB, briefed the Governor on the comprehensive steps being undertaken for the successful implementation of the TB Mukt Bharat Abhiyan in the state.

Following the briefing, Dr M Hari Jawaharlal, ex officio secretary to the Governor, handed over a cheque of Rs 84,000 to the officials. This amount, provided on behalf of the Governor, is earmarked for the distribution of nutrition baskets to 20 TB patients, aiming to support their recovery and well-being. P S Suryaprakash, joint secretary to Governor; Gangadhar Das, public health specialist, CTD; Dr Bhanu Naik, DLAT officer, NTR district; Dr T Dheeraj, WHO consultant; and Dr V Jaswanth Kumar, MO, TB-HIV also participated.