By OUR STAFF REPORTER
DEHRADUN, 17 Sep: Governor Lt General Gurmit Singh (Retd) participated in a programme organised at the Raj Bhavan Auditorium to mark the completion of one year of the ‘Pradhan Mantri TB Free India Campaign’. Health Minister Dr Dhan Singh Rawat was also present.
On this occasion, the Governor honoured Dehradun, Udham Singh Nagar and Haridwar districts for making the most Nikshay Mitras for the eradication of TB disease under the TB Free India Campaign.
He also launched the “TB Free Panchayat Campaign”. Under this campaign, every panchayat is to be empowered to solve the problems related to TB so that it can achieve the goal of becoming TB-free. This campaign will be run with the coordinated efforts of the Health Department and Panchayati Raj Department.
Governor Singh also felicitated 40 people and organisations who made significant contributions to helping the patients by becoming Nikshay Mitras under the TB-free India campaign. He also honoured 10 people who have donated blood more than 50 times. Eight persons who donated organs were also felicitated with mementos and citations.
Lt Genera Singh congratulated all the people and institutions and said that all these people and institutions would act as an inspiration for others. He said that, in the TB-Free Campaign launched to eradicate the disease, the world has set a target of eliminating it by 2023 and India by 2025. Uttarakhand, with its determination, has set the target of becoming free from TB by 2024, which shows determination and commitment.
Governor Singh said that the fight against this disease requires not only government efforts but also public participation. “We can make a significant impact on the lives of TB patients as their Nikshay Mitras,” he affirmed.
Singh said that Uttarakhand stands third in the country in making Nikshaya Mitras help TB patients, which is a matter of pride for everyone. He said that he also had become a Nikshaya Mitra. He urged other people to actively participate in this campaign.
Health Minister Dr Dhan Singh Rawat said the Uttarakhand Government is making all possible efforts to make the state TB-free, but to achieve this goal, public participation is very important. He pointed out that, on the occasion of the Prime Minister’s birthday, blood donation camps are being organised at 74 places under the Seva Pakhwada. A target has been set to register 2 lakh blood donors in this campaign by 2 October. The target is to organise seven hundred blood donation camps in all the assembly constituencies. He added that the government is making efforts to make Ayushman cards for 100 percent of the people.
Secretary, Health, Dr R Rajesh Kumar provided information related to the schemes. Additional Secretary/Mission Director NHM Swati S.Bhadauria thanked all those present.
Present on this occasion were Additional Secretary, Health, Amanpreet Kaur, Director General, Health, Dr Vinita Shah besides officers and employees associated with the programme.
