Centre identifies 75 tribal districts for focused TB interventions

Published: 1st Sep, 2022

Context

To mark 75 years of India’s Independence, 75 high-burden tribal districts have been selected for focused interventions in the coming months during the 100-day Aashwasan Campaign under the ‘Tribal TB Initiative’.

About

Tribal TB Initiative:

Tribal TB Initiative is a joint initiativeof the Ministry of Tribal Affairs and Central TB Division, Ministry of Health.
It is supported by United States Agency for International Development (USAID) as a technical partner and Piramal Swasthya as implementing partner.

Aashwasan Campaign:

The Aashwasan Campaign started in January 2022 for active case finding for TB in 174 tribal districts of India, under the ambit of the Tribal TB Initiative.
It was flagged off in Nandurbar District, Maharashtra.
Under the initiative, door-to-door screening for TB was undertaken covering 68,019 villages.

About Tuberculosis:

TB is caused by a bacterium called Mycobacterium tuberculosis, belonging to the Mycobacteriaceae family consisting of about 200 members.
In humans, TB most commonly affects the lungs (pulmonary TB), but it can also affect other organs (extra-pulmonary TB).
TB is a very ancient disease and has been documented to have existed in Egypt as early as 3000 BC.
TB is a treatable and curable disease.
Transmission: TB is spread from person to person through the air. When people with lung TB cough, sneeze or spit, they propel the TB germs into the air.

Vaccine

Currently, the following two vaccines have been developed and identified for TB, and are under Phase-3 clinical trial:

VPM (Vaccine Projekt Management) 1002
MIP (Mycobacterium Indicus Pranii)

Important Facts

World TB Day is observed on March 24.
TB Mukt Bharat (TB-free India): India is committed to ending the TB epidemic by 2025, five years ahead of the SDG target timeline.
Important national and international initiative to end TB

National TB Elimination Programme (NTEP)
National Strategic Plan (NSP) for Tuberculosis Elimination (2017-2025)
The Nikshay Ecosystem (National TB information system)
Nikshay Poshan Yojana (NPY- financial support)
TB Harega Desh Jeetega Campaign.
TB Free India Campaign
Revised National Tuberculosis Control Programme (RNTCP)
International Union Against Tuberculosis and Lung Disease (The Union)

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Centre identifies 75 tribal districts for focused TB interventions