MD NHM flags off ACF of TB patients in tribal areas

Srinagar: Mission Director, National Health Mission, Yasin M Choudhary, Saturday flagged of campaign for Active Case Finding (ACF) of tuberculosis patients in tribal districts of Jammu and Kashmir.
The branded vans were flagged off from the premises of old secretariat Srinagar as part of launch of this ambitious TB elimination program. These vans will spread awareness in tribal districts of Rajouri, Poonch and Reasi covering 47 blocks about Tuberculosis and COVID-19 prevention.
Speaking on the occasion, Mission Director said that Active Case Finding (ACF) of tuberculosis patients in tribal districts is one of the important components under Joint Action Plan for elimination of tuberculosis in India by the Ministry of Health & Family Welfare and Ministry of Tribal Affairs. This program is being run in 100 districts across the country for 100 days and is supported by USAID and implemented by Piramal Swasthya with support from Central TB division of MoHFW.
The launch program was attended by Dr Mohammad Shafi Koka, Nodal Officer, NHM, J&K; Dr. Misbah Samad, Divisional Nodal Officer, NHM Kashmir; Dr. Qazi Haroon, Project Manager, NHM, Dr. Imtiyaz Shakeel, Associate Program Manager, NHM, Ashwin Deshmukh, Senior Vice President, Rupesh Singh, Operation Head, Agniswar Das, Zonal Lead, Piramal Swasthya and Narender Lal Joshi, Division Program Manager, ADC, Himachal Pradesh and Jammu and Kashmir and other officers of NHM and Piramal Swasthya.
The elimination of Tuberculosis in the country is part of a global campaign. In 2015, all member states of the United Nations adopted 17 Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs) and resolved to end the TB epidemic by 2030. However, Government of India is planning to achieve the target by 225, five years ahead of the global target.