Nagaland urges stakeholders to work on TB elimination from state

The Nagaland government, on January 27, emphasised the need to eliminate TB from the northeastern state and urged stakeholders to work towards this goal.

Nagaland Chief Secretary J Alam has urged all district commissioners to conduct review meetings, collaborate with local civil society organisations, church leaders and other influential community members to strategise on achieving the goals of TB elimination.

The chief secretary made the appeal during a meeting on the 100-day TB elimination campaign launched by the Prime Minister on December 7, 2024.

Alam highlighted 347 districts across the country, including three in Nagaland - Kohima, Mon and Wokha have been selected and identified as high-incidence districts in the state. 

"This campaign is crucial for us, as untreated TB is not only infectious but also fatal," Alam remarked, stressing the need for early intervention to prevent complications and reduce treatment costs. 

A lot of outreach and awareness actions are required under this programme so that we can detect everyone who has this problem and they can be gien the treatment, Alam said. 

The chief secretary expressed optimism that collective efforts would drive the success of the 100-day campaign and ultimately eliminate TB in the state. 

Commissioner Secretary of Health and Family Welfare Department, Anoop Khinchi said that with 28 lakh new TB cases annually in the country, the disease causes approximately 3.5 lakh deaths each year.

He also pointed out the bidirectional relationship between TB and undernutrition, noting that improving nutrition for TB patients has been shown to enhance treatment outcomes. 

"The Government of India is also providing financial assistance through the Nikshay motion, offering Rs 1000 per month to patients undergoing treatment," Khinchi said.

The initiative encourages community members to directly contribute towards the nutritional support of TB patients, thus aiding in treatment completion, he said. 

Focusing on increasing community participation to reduce stigma and enhance awareness about TB, he said, "A key part of our strategy is psychological support for patients, as stigma and fear of discrimination can delay recovery." 

Noting that there are 3,843 TB patients undergoing treatment in the state, Khinchi urged government departments to disseminate information about TB in their offices and local communities, ensuring that people know the disease is treatable, curable, and preventable.

The campaign's goals are to accelerate case detection, reduce mortality, and prevent new cases, especially in high-burden districts like Kohima, Mon, and Wokha, she said, adding that new strategies, including x-ray screenings, molecular testing, and outreach activities, aim to identify and treat TB cases early.

The campaign also focuses on providing nutritional support to patients, with several stakeholders and departments involved in community awareness and support activities, she said.

State Programme Officer for National TB Elimination Programme in Nagaland, Dr Vezokholu Theyo, emphasised the importance of community participation and to encourage the donation of resources to support TB patients under the Nikshay Poshan Yojana maintaining that the campaign aligns with global Sustainable Development Goals to leave no one behind in the fight against TB.