TB will lose and India will triumph: Prime Minister Modi

Prime Minister Narendra Modi said on Friday that while the world's goal to end TB is 2030, India is working toward eliminating it five years earlier by 2025. Tuberculosis will lose, India will win, and the world will gain.

Prime Minister Modi stated that the modern India of today is known for achieving its goals and has taken this vow to eliminate TB from the country while officially opening the One World TV Summit 2023 in Varanasi today.

At the event, he also presented the TB Free Panchayat Initiative, the Family Centered Care Model for TB, and the India Annual TB Report 2023. Also, he practically established the foundation for Varanasi's BSL Lab Metropolitan Public Health Surveillance Unit.

The PM referred specifically to India's participation in the global fight against TB. He stated that because India's efforts after 2014 constitute an innovative paradigm in the worldwide fight against tuberculosis, the world should be aware of them now.

"We had encouraged the public to force Nikshay Mitras to register for the TB-Free India Campaign. After this campaign, the country's regular citizenry adopted about 10 lakh TB patients. The fight against TB is being advanced by children between the ages of 10 and 12 by becoming Nikshay Mitras. Several kids have left TB patients in favor of breaking their piggy banks. The amount of money Nikshay Mitras has given to TB patients has surpassed Rs. 1000 crore "said he.

Since the Central Government's introduction of the program in 2018, a total of 75 lakh TB patients have benefitted from the Direct Bank Transfer (DBT) of Rs 2000 crore sent to their accounts, he continued.

"We have included them in the Ayushman Bharat Program for patient screening and care. There are now more laboratories offering free TB testing across the US. The TB-free Panchayat, where all of the elected public officials from villages will come together to make a resolution that all patients in the community would be maintained in Good Health, has started today "said he.

On this occasion, he also related a Mahatma Gandhi-related tale. When Mahatma Gandhi was asked to open the leprosy hospital in Ahmedabad, he allegedly declined. "I would have been delighted if you had called me to secure the leprosy facility, he declared. Gandhi ji's wish was fulfilled when that hospital was built in 2007, during my tenure as chief minister "PM Modi made a reference.

The PM also encouraged the public to raise public awareness of TB sufferers because many of them preferred to conceal their illness from the general population.

He highlighted that India is fighting tuberculosis (TB) by using its experience, knowledge, and resolve. He added that India is always prepared to assist any nation in need.

"Only through Sabka Prayas will our campaign against TB be effective. In my opinion, the foundation of our safe future will be strengthened by our efforts today, and we will be in a better position to leave the globe to our future generations "PM has come to an end.

Dr. Lucica Ditiu, executive director of Stop TB, stated that the summit was held in Varanasi, one of the oldest towns in the world, to talk about tuberculosis, a disease that has been around for a century.

She claimed that despite having the greatest strategy, most ambitions, and excellent activity implementation, India has a very high burden of TB. Moreover, she highlighted India's G-20 Presidency's commitment to promoting global welfare and highlighted the significance of the topic, One World One Health.

She said that thanks to the Prime Minister, India is on track to eliminate TB by 2025. For the first time in history, she claimed, less than 3 million individuals are not getting a TB diagnosis or therapy because of efforts made by nations like India.

Dr. Ditiu complimented India's dedication to fighting TB and the TB Free India plan and expressed hope that, with India's help, India will eliminate TB by 2025. She also asked for the Prime Minister's participation at the UN high-level meeting on TB, which will be held in New York on September 22 during the UN General Assembly. Moreover, she asked the prime minister to lead and motivate other international leaders in the fight against tuberculosis.