Nagaland Governor reviews TB Elimination programme, calls for community involvement
Kohima: Nagaland Governor La Ganesan on Monday reviewed the implementation of the Pradhan Mantri TB Mukt Bharat Abhiyan, stressing the critical role of community engagement and social responsibility in the fight against tuberculosis and in achieving the national target of TB elimination.
Chairing a high-level review meeting on the Pradhan Mantri TB Mukt Bharat Abhiyan, at Raj Bhavan here on Monday, the governor, stressed the importance of destigmatizing the disease and called for collaboration with religious leaders and faith-based organisations to raise awareness and mobilise public support, a statement issued by public relations officer (PRO) Raj Bhavan here said.
“The influence of religious and community leaders can play a transformative role in changing perceptions and encouraging timely treatment,” the statement quoted him as saying, reports PTI.
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The meeting brought together senior officials from the Department of Health and Family Welfare to evaluate the state’s progress in implementing the national TB elimination programme.
Governor Ganesan lauded the department’s ongoing efforts but firmly highlighted the need for broader societal involvement to effectively combat TB.
He also urged individuals, NGOs, and institutions to register as Nikshay Mitras, underlining that nutritional and psychological support is essential to improving the quality of life and recovery outcomes for TB patients.
Minister for Health and Family Welfare, P Paiwang Konyak, briefed the governor on the department’s strategies, including strengthening surveillance systems, expanding treatment access, and tailoring awareness campaigns for hard-to-reach communities.
He expressed confidence that with the governor’s guidance and continued public participation, Nagaland could meet the national goal of TB elimination by 2025.
Commissioner and Secretary, Health and Family Welfare, Anoop Khinchi, presented a comprehensive update on the existing initiatives such as early detection campaigns, treatment adherence support, and inter-sectoral collaboration.
He reaffirmed the department’s alignment with the national TB framework and its commitment to reaching vulnerable populations.
Principal Secretary Y Kikheto Sema reiterated the need for intensified awareness drives and called for special health camps in all districts.
He echoed the governor’s view on the importance of faith-based outreach, especially through the network of churches in the state.
Department officials supplemented the meeting with detailed presentations on TB prevalence rates, field-level interventions, and the contributions of community health workers under the National TB Elimination Programme.
The meeting concluded with a strong reaffirmation of commitment from all stakeholders to intensify efforts and work collectively toward making Nagaland TB-free by 2025, the statement said.
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