The office of District TB Officer, Ri-Bhoi recently organised a programme on Pradhan Mantri TB Mukt-Bharat Abhiyan at Byrnihat PHC where the managers of two industries – Shyam Century Ferrous Ltd and Maithan Alloy Ltd donated food baskets to 20 TB patients for the a period of six months.
In her speech, Dr. E Kalwing, District TB Officer, Ri-Bhoi highlighted about the initiative of the government under the scheme Pradhan Mantri TB Mukt Bharat Abhiyan, a newly scheme that provides food ration or food basket to the on treatment TB patients through the support of an individuals or an organisation and they are being called as the donor.
She added that the Ministry of Health and Family Welfare is implementing an ambitious National Strategic Plan with the goal to end TB target 2025.
“The challenge of TB requires a multi-sectoral response to address the social disturbance like nutritional support, living and working conditions and increase in access to diagnostic and treatment services. For effective engagement of the community in the path towards ending TB in India, the Ministry of Health and Family Welfare is implementing community support to TB patients. The Nikshya Mitra or donors for this programme include cooperative society, cooperate, elected representatives, individuals, institutions, NGOs, political parties and partners who can support by adopting TB patients, for accelerating response against TB disease complement government efforts to end TB by 2025,” Dr. Kalwing said.
Rama Krishna, the Manager of Shyam Century Ferrous Ltd in his speech said that TB disease required a good nutrition to fight against the infection. He added that he had sensitised managers of other industries to come forward to help and adopt the TB patients in providing nutritional support under the PMTBMBA programme.
The representative of Maithan Alloy Ltd in his speech said that to cure TB, patients need nutritional supplements in addition to good quality medicines. He also added that he is very happy to be able to be a donor and to see the happiness in the faces of the TB patients.
Meanwhile, the District TB Office, Ri-Bhoi has called upon all community members to join hands together in ending TB in the district and hoped that others get inspired by the generosity of these two donors to come forward and adopt more TB patients to improve the health of TB patients as the State is moving towards TB elimination by 2025.
Others present at the meeting included Dr. Johny Marak, Medical and Health Officer of Byrnihat PHC, officials of Shyam Ferrous Century and Maithan Alloy Ltd, health staff of Byrnihat PHC and District TB Office, Ri Bhoi District.
