In a move aimed at eradicating tuberculosis, the Union Health Ministry is all set to roll out a TB screening programme for jail inmates across the country.
According to Health Ministry officials, the screening programme will be launched in multiple phases across the country. “Under the plan, every jail in the country will be covered as inmates are claustrophobic and prone to the life-threatening disease. The Ministry will roll out the plan probably in the second week of August,” an official said.
Besides, the Ministry is planning to rope in corporate houses to make the TB control programme a success. “The Ministry is working on different strategies to engage corporate houses in the programme. They may be told to adopt a particular hospital in the district for its makeover or they may be engaged in providing technological support to the scheme,” said a senior health official on the condition of anonymity.
In the first phase, the programme will be launched in Delhi, Haryana, Punjab and Chandigarh. “The scheme, which is a part of the Revised National Tuberculosis Control Programme (RNTCP), will be launched by Health Minister JP Nadda in Chandigarh. The screening will help identify TB patients in jails. Treatment will be provided to the inmates,” the official said, adding that all agencies of the Ministry would monitor the treatment of inmates diagnosed with TB on a regular basis.
“Given the fact, that in India, two persons die of TB every three minutes, the Ministry has set a target to wipe out the disease from the country. Deaths from TB can be prevented, but only with proper care and treatment,” the official said. He said: “There is no dearth of funds in the Health Ministry. It has allocated Rs 700 crore for the TB programme, while the United States Agency for International Development (USAID) has allocated another Rs 1,600 crore to the Call to Action progragramme.”
Apart from TB screening, an awareness campaign will also launched simultaneously. The Ministry will spread awareness messages through electronic and social media.