Health and Panchayati Raj Ministry sign MoU to eliminate TB in India

Tags: National News

The Union Ministry of Health and Ministry of Panchayati Raj has signed a Memorandum of Understanding (MoU) with an aim to eliminate TB in India.

• Important facts 

• The MoU was signed by Dr. Bijay Kumar Behera, Economic Adviser on behalf of the Ministry of Panchayati Raj and Dr. P. Ashok Babu, Joint Secretary on behalf of the Ministry of Health.

• This MoU will create inter-ministerial cooperation and strategic partnership with the aim of achieving the Prime Minister's ambitious goal of eliminating TB in India by 2025.

• The MoU is expected to pave the way for coordinated efforts at the grassroots level to create public awareness in rural areas to end the stigma and discrimination associated with tuberculosis.

• This MoU will prove to be a milestone in achieving the objective and goal of TB Free India Campaign.

• What is Tuberculosis (TB)?

• It is caused by a bacterium called Mycobacterium tuberculosis.

• The bacteria generally attack the lungs, but TB bacteria can attack any part of the body, such as the kidneys, spine, and brain.

• Tuberculosis infections began increasing in 1985 because of the emergence of HIV.

• HIV weakens a person's immune system, so it can't fight the TB germs.

• Transmission

• Its bacteria spread from person to person through the air.

• When people with pulmonary (Lung) TB cough, sneeze or spit, they spread TB germs into the air.

• Symptoms of TB

• cough for three or more weeks

• coughing up bloody sputum

• Chest pain, pain with breathing and coughing

• weight loss, Fatigue, Fever and Night sweats etc.

• Government Initiatives to Combat TB

• National Strategic Plan (NSP) for Tuberculosis (TB) Elimination (2017-2025)

• Nikshay Poshan Yojana (NPY- financial support)

• TB Harega Desh Jeetega Campaign

• Universal Immunisation Programme

• The government of India aims to have a TB-free India by 2025.

• Revised National TB Control Program under National Health Mission

• Ending the TB epidemic by 2030 under United Nations SDG target 3.3.

• Every year World TB Day is celebrated on 24 March.

• TB Burden

• Every year one crore people fall ill with TB and 1.5 million people die from TB every year.

• About half of all people with TB are found in eight countries – Bangladesh, China, India, Indonesia, Nigeria, Pakistan, the Philippines and South Africa.

• It is one of the top 10 leading causes of death worldwide.

• India accounts for 30 percent of the world's TB cases, the highest in the world, followed by Indonesia and China.