Union Minister for Health and Family Welfare Dr Harsh Vardhan on March 26, 2021 launched the “Tribal TB Initiative” along with Shri Arjun Munda, Union Minister for Tribal Affairs.
- A Guidance Note on Joint Action Plan for Tuberculosis (TB) Elimination, a Special Edition of Tribal Ministry’s Publication ‘ALEKH’ on TB, and a document on Tribal Tuberculosis (TB) Initiative was also released at the event.
- De Harsh Vardhan reiterated that the UT of Lakshadweep and district of Badgam in Jammu & Kashmir have been declared TB Free on World TB Day this year.
- Over 104 million tribal population lives in India, across 705 tribes, accounting for 8.6 % of the country’s population. 177 tribal districts were identified as high priority districts where physical remoteness, malnutrition, poor living conditions and lack of awareness contribute to the vulnerability of the tribal population to TB.
- The Union Health Minister mentioned that the linking of NIKSHAY Portal of MoHFW and Swasthya Portal of the M/o Tribal Affairs will help boost data compilation on TB and pave way for efficient and convergent actions.
(PIB)
