Hyderabad: Telangana Health minister Damodar Raja Narsimha on Saturday, December 22 said that the state government is committed to eradicating tuberculosis (TB) by the end of 2025.
During a video conference on the ‘TB Mukht Bharat Abhiyan’ led by Union Health minister JP Nadda, Rajnarsimha emphasized that the state is implementing all programs recommended by the central health department to achieve this goal.
26 mobile screening vehicles employed
On December 7, the government launched initiatives across nine districts to combat TB. To facilitate testing, 26 mobile screening vehicles have been deployed in these districts to identify individuals at risk of TB and conduct necessary tests.
Each vehicle is equipped with digital X-ray machines and CB-NAAT machines for efficient diagnosis. The state has ensured an adequate supply of testing reagents and medications for a 100-day program aimed at intensifying TB eradication efforts.
181 confirmed positive
So far, a total of 7,219 individuals have been tested across these districts, with 181 confirmed positive for TB.
Rajnarsimha highlighted that raising public awareness and conducting early screenings are crucial for eliminating TB.
As part of this initiative, the state has significantly increased the number of tests conducted; in 2023, 574,000 tests were performed, which is projected to rise to 782,000 in 2024.
The treatment success rate for TB in Telangana stands at 90%, exceeding the national average of 87%, a press release said.
The central health department has decided to conduct a focused ‘Intensified TB Elimination Program’ over the next 100 days, targeting districts with lower testing rates and higher TB risk.
This program will run until March 17, 2025, and aims to identify and test individuals at risk of contracting TB.
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