ADDC Pulwama chairs District TB Forum meeting

Pulwama : A meeting of the District TB Forum cum a Review Meeting of the District Health Society on National Tuberculosis Eradication Programme (NTEP) was conducted Saturday at the district administration complex, here.
The meeting was chaired by the Additional District Development Commissioner Pulwama, Dr Sheikh Abdul Aziz and attended by Dr Praveen, WHO Consultant Delhi, HOD, Kashmir GMC Srinagar, District Tuberculosis Officer, staff and others.
On the occasion, the District TB Officer gave a presentation on the activities of the TB forum and activities undertaken under NTEP in the district. She informed that the government had set a goal to eliminate TB by 2025 under the Jan Andolan campaign.
She expressed her pleasure over the information gained during the meeting and assured all help in creating awareness on the Jan Andolan campaign.
The ADDC briefly outlined the objectives of the TB Forum to engage with policy makers and implementers to ensure justice, rights and dignity to TB patients, to reduce stigma and discrimination, to improve awareness and provide facilities and engage in evidence based advocacy with stakeholders.
Various issues related to reducing stigma and discrimination associated with the disease, facilitating nutritional support for patients, establishing linkage with social welfare schemes, rehabilitation and social security of patients, and on creating awareness about various government schemes and programmes and treatment facilities available were also discussed in detail.
The ADDC on the occasion spoke on the need to advocate for and facilitate an environment that minimizes and prevents TB transmission, increasing community participation in TB eradication programmes through formation of a network of people affected by TB and periodically reviewing the same.
The ADDC asked the health department officials to lay special focus on identifying vulnerable pockets areas and to carry out intensive sensitization campaigns in these areas by involving all stakeholders of the areas.