UP Health :TB-Free Campaign Deadline; High-Risk Districts Told to Speed Up

LUCKNOW: In a decisive push to eradicate Tuberculosis, Uttar Pradesh's Additional Chief Secretary (ACS) for Medicine and Health, Amit Kumar Ghosh, has issued strict directives to health officials to maximize efforts over the next 18 days. Reviewing the ongoing "100-Day TB-Free India Campaign," the ACS expressed concern over lagging metrics in several high-risk districts and mandated the immediate setup of Ayushman Arogya Shivirs to ensure total rural coverage.

The state has categorized its districts based on the density of high-risk pockets. Out of 26,722 identified high-risk villages across Uttar Pradesh, health teams have successfully covered 17,741 locations. Districts like Gautam Buddha Nagar, Ghaziabad, Agra, and Meerut have achieved 100% coverage. However, the review exposed sluggish progress in Azamgarh, Jaunpur, Basti, and Siddharthnagar, where coverage hovers around a concerning 36 percent. Deoria, Kushinagar, and Ghazipur were also flagged for underperforming.

To bridge this gap, ACS Amit Kumar Ghosh ordered Chief Medical Officers (CMOs) of the lagging districts to conduct daily evening reviews alongside District Tuberculosis Officers (DTOs). The primary objective is to deploy medical camps rapidly so that diagnostic and healthcare services reach the remaining villages before the 100-day deadline expires.

Beyond screening, the state is heavily focusing on nutritional and digital support. The ACS instructed officials to guarantee the distribution of 'Poshan Potli' (nutritional baskets) to every patient, suggesting the mobilization of Corporate Social Responsibility (CSR) funds, local industrialists, and merchants to sustain the supply. Furthermore, interacting with nearly a thousand TB survivors and frontline workers, Ghosh emphasized the digital tracking of recovery. He urged grassroots workers to ensure every patient downloads the 'TB Mukt Bharat' mobile application to self-monitor daily health updates.

The high-level review meeting also saw the participation of key healthcare leaders, including National Health Mission Director Dr. Pinki Jowel, Director General of Health Dr. Pawan Kumar Arun, and State Tuberculosis Officer Dr. Rishi Kumar Saxena, who presented the statistical breakdown of the state's progress. With the clock ticking, the health administration has shifted into emergency mode to convert vulnerable zones into TB-free blocks. (Info)