Retired officers and educators to support 'TB Free Uttar Pradesh' initiative as 'Nikshay Mitra'

Lucknow (Uttar Pradesh) [India], January 2 (ANI): In a significant move towards realising Prime Minister Narendra Modi's vision of a 'TB-free India,' Chief Minister Yogi Adityanath has launched an innovative initiative where retired IAS and IPS officers, along with former vice-chancellors and other senior citizens, will take on the role of 'Nikshay Mitra' to support the state's TB eradication efforts. These senior citizens will work to raise public awareness and assist in the treatment and care of tuberculosis (TB) patients.
On Thursday, the Chief Minister held a meeting with everyone in this regard and called for cooperation to make the TB-free Uttar Pradesh campaign successful.
In the special meeting, CM Adityanath welcomed the retired IAS, IPS and former vice-chancellors and informed them about the resolution of 'TB-free India' of Prime Minister Modi.
CM Adityanath said, "Creation of a strong India is possible only from a healthy India and India will be powerful only when it becomes strong. He said that the World Health Organisation had set a target of making the world TB-free by the year 2030, which the Prime Minister has taken in mission mode and has set a target of 2025 for India."
CM Adityanath said that India has the highest number of TB patients in the world and to make India TB-free, TB elimination is essential in Uttar Pradesh, the state with the largest population.
CM Adityanath further added about the efforts made in Uttar Pradesh in the last few years towards TB elimination. He said that today the testing of TB patients in Uttar Pradesh has increased four times as compared to earlier. There has been a significant increase in the number of NET and X-ray machines. The success rate of TB treatment in the state has increased from 79 percent to 92 percent in the last four years.
CM Adityanath said, "Under the Nikshay Poshan Yojana, an amount of Rs 775 crore has been paid into the accounts of about 27 lakh TB patients through DBT. Similarly, those living with lung TB patients are being given TB prevention treatment so that they do not suffer from TB disease."
While discussing the importance of public participation in the TB eradication program, he said that so far more than 45 thousand TB patients have been adopted by the Nishchay Mitras, and 1372 Gram Panchayats of the state have been declared TB-free.
CM Adityanath also called for cooperation from all and said that all of you have worked in the society for a long time. All have long experience. Now after retirement, all of you can cooperate in this national mission.
He said that it is the shared responsibility of all that no TB patient should be left out and whoever is found to be suffering from TB should be provided with correct and continuous medical treatment immediately. They should be provided additional nutrition and some Nishchay Mitra should join them and become their support. Along with this, the remaining members of their family should also be examined and provided proper medical advice and treatment.
CM Adityanath said, "TB patients are a part of society; providing them respect in society should be the priority of all of us. As Nishchay Mitra, all retired IAS/IPS and former vice-chancellors should adopt TB patients, give them information about the treatment, and provide proper help. He said that the main objective of the TB eradication campaign is to find missing TB patients, reduce the TB mortality rate and save healthy people from TB infection."
The state government is fully committed to making the state TB-free and the participation of all sections of society is very important to make the state TB-free. All the retired administrative officers and vice chancellors present in the meeting expressed their gratitude for the call of the chief minister and also took an oath for cooperation. (ANI)