In a bid to achieve the target of eliminating Tuberculosis (TB) by 2025, the Indian Council of Medical Research (ICMR) on the World TB Day 2022, issued Standard Treatment Workflows for Management for Extra-pulmonary TB & Paediatric TB (book and mobile application) . The report, which would help in the detection and management of TB at primary, secondary and tertiary level healthcare system was released in the presence of Governor of Uttar Pradesh, Anandiben Patel and the Health Minister, Dr. Mansukh Mandaviya.
"Our efforts are especially significant as only till last year we were combating the dual challenges of TB and COVID-19. In fact, conducting bi-directional screening for COVID and TB along with door-to-door home visits by health workers has played a key role in a remarkable increase in notifications,” Patel said.
“We are determined and committed to achieve our Prime Minister’s vision of eliminating TB by 2025, five years ahead of the target for TB set by sustainable development goals (SDG) 2030. Through the active efforts of all the states and the sustained guidance to the programme by our country’s leadership, the programme has advanced through challenging times,” Mandaviya stated.
“For more than two years, we have been facing the global pandemic apart from TB prevalence. Both diseases are highly contagious, air-borne and severely impact families and communities. He stated “as we move forward, let us through Jan Andolan and Jan Bhagidari involve various stakeholders and partners in our collative fight against TB, the same way we have collaborated in our fight against COVID19," Mandaviya further added.
Meanwhile, Senior Scientist, Dr Lokesh Sharma at ICMR said, "the confirmation of Extrapulmonary TB has always been a challenge to laboratory personnel. STWs provides comprehensive algorithms for detection and management of Paediatric and Extrapulmonary TB and it will be helpful to empower physicians/surgeons towards achieving the goal of TB elimination."