5 areas in Mumbai will be judged for TB eradication

A signature campaign for TB eradication. File pic

Five areas in Mumbai - Parel, Govandi, Ghatkopar, Grant Road and Prabhadevi - have been selected along with six districts in the state, to be judged for the national award for best performing district in TB eradication.

In line with the government of India's ‘Tuberculosis Free India-2025' goal, the Central Tuberculosis Department has started giving incentive prizes to districts working under the National Tuberculosis Eradication Programme. To implement the TB control programme in a planned and more effective manner, there is a separate management structure of 24 TB districts (these areas are termed districts) in the Brihanmumbai Municipal Corporation (BMC) jurisdiction. Of these, 5 districts have been nominated by the state government.

Under the programme, a team from the Central Government will survey and review the past 5 years on various criteria like comparative decline in patients since 2015, medicines sold for TB patients from dispensaries, medical stores, patient search campaigns online through specific applications, etc. This verification will also be done by making appointments with patients later and through ‘Focus Group Discussions' with them.

Around 25 teams of the BMC will also work in the 5 districts for the search operation for TB patients. The teams will visit homes in their areas from February 9 to February 22 to conduct TB medical check-ups. "The programme is being held to eradicate TB and citizens should cooperate with the Tuberculosis Investigation Teams," appealed Dr Mangala Gomare, executive health officer of the BMC.