New Delhi [India], July 29 : Union Minister of Health & Family Welfare Jagat Prakash Nadda on Wednesday chaired a meeting titled "Parliamentarians Championing a TB Mukt Bharat" with Members of Parliament from West Bengal on the sidelines of the Monsoon Session of Parliament at the Extended Parliament House Annexe, New Delhi.
He was joined by Union Minister of State for Education & Development of North Eastern Region, Sukanta Majumdar.
The meeting brought together Members of the Lok Sabha and Rajya Sabha from West Bengal across party lines to strengthen collective efforts towards achieving a TB Mukt Bharat through greater political leadership and community participation.
The meeting was part of a series of sensitisation interactions chaired by the Union Health Minister with Members of Parliament from states across the country, including Haryana, Uttar Pradesh, Madhya Pradesh, Gujarat, Rajasthan, Tamil Nadu and others.
Nadda informed the Members that similar consultations have been held with MPs from other States as well, as part of the Government's whole-of-government approach to accelerate TB elimination.
The meeting reviewed the progress made under the 100-Day TB Mukt Bharat Abhiyaan, implemented in two phases to accelerate India's efforts towards TB elimination. The first phase, launched on December 7, 2024, initially covered 347 high-priority districts before being expanded nationwide and concluded on March 24, 2025. The second phase, launched on March 24, focused on nearly 1.58 lakh high-risk villages and urban wards across the country.
Addressing the gathering, Jagat Prakash Nadda described the campaign as "a defining moment in the nation's fight against tuberculosis, built on innovation, compassion and unwavering political will."
He reiterated that the principal objective of the TB Mukt Bharat Abhiyaan is to achieve the Sustainable Development Goal of eliminating tuberculosis by 2030.
Highlighting India's remarkable progress, Nadda cited the WHO Global TB Report 2025 and stated that India has recorded a 21 per cent decline in TB incidence between 2015 and 2024, compared to the global average decline of 12 per cent, making India's pace of decline nearly twice the global average.
He further noted that India's treatment coverage rate has reached 92 per cent, significantly higher than the global average of 78 per cent, reflecting the country's leadership in global TB control efforts.
The Union Health Minister emphasised that TB Mukt Bharat is not merely a health programme but a nationwide people's movement requiring active public participation. Stressing the importance of Jan Bhagidari, he said that the campaign can achieve its full potential only through collective ownership involving elected representatives, governments, civil society and communities.
Calling upon Members of Parliament to lead this movement in their constituencies, Nadda urged them to regularly review TB elimination efforts with District Collectors/District Magistrates and the Health Department.
Intensify awareness generation and stigma reduction while promoting early detection through Ni-kshay Shivirs and screening of high-risk villages and vulnerable populations, including asymptomatic TB cases.
Strengthen oversight of TB programme implementation and service delivery through visits to district and block-level health facilities.
Encourage community participation by mobilising Ni-kshay Mitras and local organisations to provide nutritional, psychosocial and livelihood support to TB patients.
Organise targeted Ayushman Arogya Shivirs to proactively screen high-risk and vulnerable populations.
Highlighting India's transformative TB elimination journey, Nadda underscored the importance of universal mandatory notification of TB cases diagnosed in the private sector, alongside the provision of free government-supplied medicines to reduce the financial burden on patients.
The Union Health Minister described the proactive detection of asymptomatic TB cases as a revolutionary step in the country's TB elimination strategy. He highlighted the role of indigenous TruNat molecular diagnostic machines in detecting Multi-Drug Resistant Tuberculosis (MDR-TB) and noted that AI-enabled handheld X-ray machines have significantly improved access to early diagnosis in remote and underserved areas. He added that portable X-ray units supported through PM CARES are further expanding doorstep diagnostic services across the country.
Nadda also highlighted the Government's patient-centric initiatives, including enhancement of the monthly nutritional support under the Ni-kshay Poshan Yojana to Rs 1,000 per patient, introduction of shorter and advanced treatment regimens, and the mobilisation of over 5 lakh Ni-kshay Mitras nationwide to provide sustained nutritional and social support to TB patients.
In his concluding remarks, Nadda commended the parliamentarians for their commitment and expressed confidence that West Bengal has the potential to emerge as a leader in TB elimination. He observed that while the 100-Day Campaign has concluded, the real measure of success will lie in sustained progress across every district.
Union Health Secretary Punya Salila Srivastava highlighted that West Bengal's continued expansion of screening, treatment and patient support would be crucial in translating national progress into community-level impact.
Additional Secretary and Mission Director, National Health Mission, Smt. Aradhana Patnaik, highlighted the technological backbone of India's TB elimination programme. She noted that molecular testing capacity has expanded from a few hundred machines a decade ago to more than 9,000 today, complemented by nearly 3,000 AI-enabled handheld X-ray units developed through indigenous innovation to ensure timely diagnosis across the country.
Presenting West Bengal's performance across key indicators, she highlighted the state's progress in TB notifications, treatment success, preventive therapy coverage and alignment with national elimination targets.
During the 100-Day Campaign, West Bengal implemented focused strategies by taking Ayushman Arogya Shivirs to urban slums, tea gardens, mining sites and migrant settlements, thereby bringing screening and care closer to vulnerable populations.
The Members of Parliament from West Bengal collectively reaffirmed their commitment to intensifying awareness campaigns, reducing stigma, organising Ni-kshay Shivirs for early detection among vulnerable populations, strengthening oversight of TB services at district and block levels, and mobilising communities under the Jan Andolan through greater participation of Ni-kshay Mitras and local organisations to provide nutritional, psychosocial and livelihood support to TB patients.