Sri Vijaya Puram, Feb 27: The Government of India launched the Pradhan Mantri TB Mukt Bharat Abhiyan (PMTBMBA) in September 2022 to foster community participation in providing nutritional assistance to TB patients. Under this initiative, donors, known as ‘Nikshay Mitras’, can include individuals, NGOs, co-operative societies, faith-based organizations, corporates, political parties, and others. A ‘Nikshay Mitra’ can adopt one or more consenting TB patients for a minimum period of six months to provide the required nutritional support.
The primary objectives of PMTBMBA are to:
• Enhance treatment outcomes for TB patients through additional support.
• Engage the community in India’s mission to eliminate TB by 2025.
• Leverage Corporate Social Responsibility (CSR) initiatives to aid TB patients.
Active Participation in the Islands:
• Senior Officers of the UT Administration have proactively registered as ‘Nikshay Mitras’ and are actively providing nutritional support to TB patients. Additionally, doctors and staff from the Health Department, officials from the District Administration, other line Departments, NGOs, social workers, business community members, and PRI representatives have also joined the initiative. They are distributing food baskets to TB patients to aid their recovery.
• The Andaman and Nicobar Islands Integrated Development Corporation (ANIIDCO) have pledged to adopt TB patients from the Islands and provide them with necessary nutritional support.
Current Outreach and Call for Participation:
• As of now, 177 TB patients undergoing treatment in the Union Territory are receiving assistance from Nikshay Mitras across all three Districts. Since new TB cases are diagnosed every month, individuals from all walks of life are encouraged to register as ‘Nikshay Mitras’ and extend their support. Those interested in registering as ‘Nikshay Mitras’ can contact 03192-242132 for further details.
• This initiative not only helps TB patients to recover effectively but also plays a crucial role in achieving the goal of TB elimination from the Islands.
