By Our Staff Reporter
Dehradun, 24 Dec: While reviewing the TB eradication campaign being run in the state under the Prime Minister’s TB-free India campaign, Health Minister Dr Dhan Singh Rawat today instructed the Chief Medical Officers (CMOs) of all the districts to review the campaign continuously to achieve 100 percent target. He said that along with the OPD of patients coming to government hospitals across the state, the scope of TB test also be increased. Along with this, he instructed the CMOs lagging behind in adopting TB patients to make ‘Nikshay Mitra’ and to speed up the campaign.
Medical Health and Medical Education Minister Dhan Singh Rawat today held a review meeting of the Prime Minister’s TB-free India campaign at the Directorate General of Health, in which state level officers as well as Chief Medical Officers and District Tuberculosis Officers of all districts participated virtually. Rawat instructed all the CMOs to work on the ground to achieve the goal of TB-free Uttarakhand, under which the scope of TB testing in government hospitals be increased, along with OPD, TB testing of patients also be done. Along with this, he instructed the officers to speed up the public awareness campaign under the Nikshay Mitra scheme and to encourage the identified patients for treatment. He expressed displeasure over the fact that despite repeated instructions from the government, the proportion of making Nikshay Mitra was poor in several districts. He also directed all the CMOs to organize various activities under the Red Cross from time to time and send the report to the State Red Cross Committee.
In the meeting, Dr Pankaj Singh, the officer in charge of TB eradication campaign, gave a district-wise presentation of the current situation regarding identification and treatment of TB patients, registration of non-destructive friends across the state. He briefed that at present the number of active TB patients in the state was 13 thousand 190, out of which 10 thousand 869 patients had given consent to get their treatment done through Nikshay Mitras. He added that 9 thousand 394 patients had been adopted for treatment by 7 thousand 764 Nikshay Mitras registered in the state. Nutrition kits worth one thousand rupees per month were being made available to the patients through Nikshaya Mitras.
Director Health Dr Vinita Shah, Director NHM Dr Saroj Naithani, Dr Bhagirathi Jangpangi, Joint Director Dr SK Jha, Dr Pankaj Singh and other departmental officers were present in the meeting while Director General of Health Dr Shailaja Bhatt along with CMOs and DTOs of all districts participated in the meeting on virtual mode.
