Dr. Harsh Vardhan, Union Minister of Health and Family Welfare digitally interacted with Dr Lucica Ditiu, Executive Director, Stop TB partnership, here today.

The Union Minister stated that elimination of TB is a priority for the Indian government. He added that the Government is committed to scaling up access to free diagnosis through rapid molecular tests, provide information on drug resistance and also free treatment for all people with TB with best-quality drugs and regimens, financial and nutritional support to patients. Dr Harsh Vardhan added that the Government is committed to the  use of digital technologies for notification and adherence and linking with interface non-governmental agencies to strengthen private sector engagement.

Dr Harsh Vardhan emphasised that though the country is fighting with the COVID pandemic for the last eight months, it is ensured that the health department and health officials in all the states were constantly reminded about the target of elimination of TB by 2025. “Through our efforts on the front of fighting COVID, we have shown to the world that India can be a role model for other countries as we have achieved self reliance in terms of domestic manufacturing of masks and PPE kits”, he stated.

“India, under the guidance of our Hon’ble Prime Minister, Shri Narendra Modi, has accorded a high priority for ending tuberculosis in India by 2025, five years ahead of the Sustainable Development Goals (SDG) target of 2030, and stepping forward as a leader for a TB-free world”, Dr Harsh Vardhan said during the digital interaction. In the recent years, India has already taken several critical steps to showcase itself as a leader for a TB-free world, with impressive and ambitious policies and plans, he emphasised.

Dr Lucica applauded and thanked the Government of India for its commendable efforts in fighting TB.

****

MV/SJ

HFW/Stop TB partnership/2September2020/3