Launch of Tribal TB Initiative

Launch of Tribal TB Initiative

Part of: GS Prelims and GS-II – Health 

In news

• ‘Tribal TB Initiative’ in pursuit of TB Mukt Bharat was launched recently. 

• Ministry: Ministry of Health 

Key takeaways 

• 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.
• Over 104 million tribal population lives in India, across 705 tribes, accounting for 8.6 % of India’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.
• Initially, the activities of the joint plan will focus on 161 districts across 18 identified States.
• This would involve periodic TB active case finding drives and provision of TB Preventive Therapy (IPT) to identified vulnerable population and develop long term mechanisms for vulnerability reduction.

Do you know? 

• Lakshadweep and district of Badgam in Jammu and Kashmir have been declared TB Free on World TB Day 2021.
• The government has already increased the Budget allocation for TB in India a four-fold in the last 5 years.

Related articles:

• India TB report
• Stop TB Partnership Board