This achievement has been largely due to the serious efforts being made to eradicate TB from Narmada and other districts of the state. This, in fact, is contributing significantly to the Prime Minister’s goal of making India TB-free by 2025.
According to District TB Officer Dr Jhankhana Vasava, the state government’s policies have not only reduced the number of TB patients in Narmada, an aspirational district, but have also significantly increased the treatment success rate.
He further said that the TB cases have dropped sharply due to effective state policies and the Central Government’s Nikshay Mitra Scheme, which provides patients with treatment and nutritional support.
In the last few years, a robust TB treatment infrastructure has been developed in Narmada and other districts, providing patients with all facilities, from testing to treatment. This has made it possible for TB patients to receive both proper treatment and a nutritious diet. Patients are greatly benefiting from TB treatment.
In the past few years, the TB cases have dropped sharply, and the efforts to make the region TB-free are gaining ground.
A patient, sharing her ordeal as well as recovery, shared, “At first, I wasn’t gaining weight, I was suffering. I was admitted to the Civil Hospital, underwent tests, started medication, and then received a food kit, which I am using now. It’s been very beneficial.”
Under the National TB Elimination Programme, Gujarat has demonstrated a strong commitment by actively identifying TB patients on a large scale and ensuring their treatment is provided completely free of cost in government-run hospitals.
The city, boasting of a high success rate in TB treatment, is also emerging as a role model in its elimination.
