Union Minister JP Nadda engages with Bihar MPs to accelerate momentum towards TB-Mukt Bharat

New Delhi [India], December 4 (ANI): Union Health Minister Jagat Prakash Nadda on Thursday chaired a high-level interaction with Members of Parliament from Bihar in New Delhi, as part of the intensified outreach under 'TB Mukt Bharat Abhiyan'.
The meeting, which was held at the Extended Parliament House Annexe here, comes on the heels of similar engagements with MPs from Uttar Pradesh and Maharashtra over the past two days, with further state-level consultations planned in the coming weeks to strengthen collective efforts against Tuberculosis, according to a statement by the Ministry of Health and Family Welfare.
Today's meeting was marked by the presence of Union Minister of Textiles Giriraj Singh, Union Minister of Fisheries, Animal Husbandry & Dairying and Panchayati Raj Rajiv Ranjan Singh, Union Minister of State for Agriculture and Farmers Welfare Ram Nath Thakur, Union Minister of State for Jal Shakti Dr Raj Bhushan Choudhary, Union Minister of State for Coal and Mines Satish Chandra Dubey in addition to the parliamentarians from the state of Bihar.
Bringing together Lok Sabha and Rajya Sabha MPs across party lines, the engagement under- "Parliamentarians Championing a TB-Mukt Bharat"--reinforced a unified political resolve to fast-track progress towards eliminating TB in India.
Addressing the gathering, Nadda highlighted India's accelerated progress in TB elimination, noting that the country has recorded a 21 percent decline in TB incidence between 2015 and 2024, almost double the global average, along with a 90 per cent treatment success rate, surpassing the worldwide average.
He emphasised that Bihar's significant advancements in screening, community-level outreach, and patient support will play a pivotal role in further strengthening India's national progress.
The Union Health Minister urged MPs to assume leadership in driving Jan Andolan for TB elimination by deepening awareness and stigma reduction efforts in their constituencies, promoting early detection through Ni-kshay Shivirs and community-based screening, including among asymptomatic vulnerable groups, strengthening oversight of quality TB services at district and block levels and encouraging community participation and mobilising Ni-kshay Mitras for nutritional, psychosocial and livelihood support to TB patients.
Nadda underscored that TB Mukt Bharat is not just a health initiative but a people-led movement, powered by collective will and proactive political stewardship.
During the session, MPs from Bihar reiterated their commitment to ensuring increased awareness, quality diagnostics, and that patient-centric care reaches the grassroots level, while energising communities to participate in the nationwide movement for TB elimination.
Union Health Secretary Punya Salila Srivastava outlined India's evolving strategy, including scale-up of AI-enabled diagnostics, intensified screening, and enhanced patient support for improved outcomes. Aradhana Patnaik, Additional Secretary & Mission Director, National Health Mission, presented the achievements under the 'TB Mukt Bharat Abhiyan' and highlighted areas where parliamentary leadership could further strengthen Bihar's response.
The interaction marked yet another milestone in the Ministry's ongoing efforts to build political consensus and grassroots momentum toward ensuring a TB-Mukt Bihar and a TB-Mukt Bharat. Guided by the vision of Prime Minister Narendra Modi, Bihar's parliamentarians reaffirmed their commitment to accelerate progress towards a TB-free India, ensuring that political will translates into transformative action at the grassroots. (ANI)