Assam: RHAC sets 2028 deadline to achieve TB-free status across council areas

The Rabha Hasong Autonomous Council (RHAC) has announced an ambitious plan to make areas under its jurisdiction tuberculosis-free by 2028, advancing the national objective of eliminating the disease from India by 2030.

As part of the initiative and in line with the Prime Minister’s Tuberculosis Free Campaign, an awareness programme was organised on Monday at Bodosa Club in Shashtapur village under the 27 No. Boko Council Constituency. The programme brought together health officials, council representatives, and tuberculosis patients to promote awareness, treatment adherence, and nutritional support.

Around 30 patients from the Boko TB Unit participated in the event. Among those present were RHAC Chairman Sonaram Rabha, executive members Arjun Chetry, Sumit Rabha and Prabodh Kalita, Bodo-Kachari Welfare Autonomous Council executive member Dasharath Boro, Sub-Divisional Medical and Health Officer of Boko BPHC Dr. Dhruba Baruah, and Senior Tuberculosis Treatment Supervisor Dhrubajyoti Medhi, along with other dignitaries and local residents.

During the programme, nutritional packages comprising rice, dal, mustard oil, and soybean were distributed to tuberculosis patients to support their recovery and strengthen immunity. RHAC executive member Sumit Rabha said the initiative marked the first such distribution in the Boko constituency and would soon be extended to the Pantan area in Chaygaon.

Addressing the gathering, Dr Dhruba Baruah said free medicines are being provided under the National Tuberculosis Elimination Programme (NTEP) at the Boko Block Primary Health Centre. He shared official figures indicating that 230 tuberculosis patients were recorded in 2025, while 79 cases have been registered so far in 2026. At present, 112 patients are undergoing DOTS treatment, and 197 patients were successfully cured in 2025.

Senior Tuberculosis Treatment Supervisor Dhrubajyoti Medhi described the initiative as a significant step towards strengthening community-based healthcare interventions. He noted that similar nutritional support programmes had previously been conducted in Bandapara and urged residents to remain cautious, emphasising that tuberculosis spreads through bacterial infection.

Speaking at the event, Sumit Rabha observed that tuberculosis was once widely regarded as an incurable disease, but modern medical treatment has substantially improved recovery outcomes. He also raised concerns over the growing incidence of cancer in the Boko region and noted that screening initiatives are being conducted nationwide to address the disease through early detection and treatment.

RHAC health executive member Prabodh Kalita stated that the council’s 2028 target reflects its commitment to accelerating public health measures ahead of the national deadline. He said the council would continue organising awareness campaigns and extending nutritional support programmes to strengthen the fight against tuberculosis across the region.