HT Bureau
GUWAHATI, May 30: National Health Mission, Assam is proactively striving towards a TB Free Assam through various initiatives as envisaged by the Prime Minister of India towards achieving a TB Mukt Bharat by 2025. Special measures have been taken by NHM Assam for increasing TB notification from primary, secondary and tertiary health institutions in the state.
The first point of contact for diagnosis and treatment at the community level are the Community Health Officers (CHOs) who have been sensitised through training in all the Health & Wellness Centres (HWCs) to provide all TB services (diagnosis, detection and treatment).
State-of-the-art diagnostic tools for TB diagnosis namely TrueNaat/CBNAAT is now available in all the district hospitals and adding on to that, even in most of the block level health facilities of the state.
Intermediate Reference Laboratory (IRL) has been actively operationalised in GMCH for most of the latest diagnostic methods of TB detection free of cost. Through this centre, advanced TB cases can be detected and proper management through medicines can be done.
It is to be mentioned here that the Zonal Task Force (ZTF) meeting of the National TB Elimination Programme (NTEP) for medical colleges in the north-east region was held on Monday. Dr MS Lakshmi Priya, mission director of NHM Assam attended the meeting as the chief guest. Dr Priya highlighted the role of primary, secondary and tertiary care health institutions for TB notification. She further emphasised on implementing TB Preventive Therapy (TPT) extensively towards a TB Free Assam.
Notably, NHM Assam through its community-based approach is actively working for building capacity of the caregivers at all levels including providing support for community-based research to add value for the policies towards achieving TB Free India target by 2025.
It is noteworthy that in comparison to 38097 notified TB patients in the year 2021, the state has been able to achieve 47984 TB cases notified and treated in 2022. In 2023, the state is targeting to notify and treat more than 60,000 TB cases. It is also an appeal to all the people to come forward and avail the diagnosis and treatment facilities regarding TB which are available at all levels of health institutions in the state, stated a release by NHM Assam.
