Chief Secretary reviews progress of TB Mukt Bharat Abhiyan
Calls for accelerating efforts towards making TB-Free J&K
SRINAGAR, JUNE 16 (PTK): Chief Secretary Atal Dulloo today chaired a comprehensive review meeting of the ongoing Pradhan Mantri TB Mukt Bharat Abhiyan to assess the progress achieved across the Union Territory and chart out a strategy for accelerating efforts towards tuberculosis elimination.
The meeting was attended by Commissioner Secretary, Health & Medical Education (H&ME), Mission Director, National Health Mission (NHM), Managing Director JKMSCL, Principals of Government Medical Colleges (GMCs), Directors of Health Services Kashmir and Jammu, and senior faculty members from various medical institutions across the UT.
Reviewing district-wise performance, the Chief Secretary noted that while several districts have achieved encouraging results, there remains considerable scope for improvement in certain critical indicators. He directed the Health & Medical Education Department to intensify efforts in districts reporting lower coverage of X-ray screening, differentiated TB care, TB preventive treatment and nutritional support.
He emphasized expanding coverage in identified high-risk villages and directed district administrations and health authorities to substantially increase the number of Nikshay Shivirs and ensure saturation coverage of all notified high-risk villages within stipulated timelines. He also stressed optimum utilisation of hand-held X-ray units and greater outreach in remote and vulnerable areas.
While reviewing the implementation of the Nikshay Poshan Yojana, the Chief Secretary instructed authorities to complete all pending beneficiary authentication and ensure timely release of financial assistance to eligible patients. He directed that all pending cases be cleared through a special drive so that no patient is deprived of entitled benefits.
The Chief Secretary also called for intensified efforts to enhance TB Preventive Treatment coverage among household contacts and healthcare workers, strengthen differentiated care protocols, improve Poshan Kit distribution and expand community participation through Nikshay Mitras.
Dulloo stressed the need to improve the uptake of the recently launched TB Mukt Bharat App and Khushi Chatbot, observing that digital tools can significantly enhance treatment adherence, patient counselling and service delivery. He directed doctors and field functionaries to ensure registration and active utilisation of the platform by every notified TB patient.
Reviewing the overall progress, the Chief Secretary said the performance reflects the efforts of healthcare workers, district administrations and community volunteers engaged in the campaign. He stressed that sustained efforts are essential to maintain momentum and achieve the national goal of eliminating tuberculosis.
Commissioner Secretary, H&ME, M. Raju presented a detailed overview of achievements, challenges and future action plans under the TB Mukt Bharat Abhiyan being implemented across Jammu and Kashmir.
He informed the meeting that Jammu and Kashmir has emerged as one of the best-performing regions in the country under the ongoing 100-Day TB Mukt Bharat Campaign, securing second rank among States and Union Territories under Phase-II of the national campaign launched on March 24, 2026.
The Chief Secretary was informed that J&K has achieved notable success in several critical indicators, including vulnerable population screening, presumptive TB testing, TB notification, drug-resistant TB detection, differentiated TB care, nutritional support and community participation through Nikshay Mitras.
Mission Director NHM, Akriti Sagar, informed the meeting that over 2.45 lakh vulnerable individuals have been screened during the ongoing campaign, while 70 percent of the enrolled vulnerable population has undergone X-ray examination, surpassing the national benchmark.
She further stated that the Union Territory has recorded 90 percent utilisation of NAAT-based molecular diagnostic testing, ensuring faster and more accurate diagnosis of tuberculosis cases.
The review revealed that Jammu and Kashmir has maintained strong performance in TB case detection, with 4,472 TB cases notified during the first five months of 2026, representing around 40 percent of the annual target. More than 2.52 lakh presumptive TB tests have also been conducted across the Union Territory during the current year.
It was noted that over 2,100 TB patients have received Poshan Kits during the current year under community support initiatives, while the number of registered Nikshay Mitras has increased to more than 13,100, reflecting growing societal participation in supporting TB patients.
The Chief Secretary was informed that 1,504 TB patients have been assessed under Differentiated TB Care, ensuring personalised treatment and management based on disease severity and associated vulnerabilities.
The meeting also highlighted a significant improvement in TB Preventive Treatment (TPT) coverage, which increased from 7 percent during Phase-I to 34 percent during Phase-II, indicating better protection of household contacts and other high-risk groups from developing active tuberculosis.
Emphasising that tuberculosis elimination requires a whole-of-government and whole-of-society approach, the Chief Secretary urged all departments, district administrations, civil society organisations and volunteers to actively contribute towards making Jammu and Kashmir TB-free.(PTK)
