Pradhan Mantri TB Mukt Bharat Abhiyaan

Context:

Recently, the President of India launched the `Pradhan Mantri TB Mukt Bharat Abhiyaan’.

Relevance:

GS II: Health

Dimensions of the Article:

1. About Pradhan Mantri TB Mukt Bharat Abhiyaan
2. About Tuberculosis

About Pradhan Mantri TB Mukt Bharat Abhiyaan

• It has been envisioned to bring together all community stakeholders to support those on TB treatment and accelerate the country’s progress towards TB elimination.
• This is aimed at working towards TB elimination from the country by 2025.
• Under the scheme, individuals, NGOs and corporates can adopt TB patients by committing support for 1-3 years. 
• To join the initiative, they have to register on the site, which has an anonymous list of TB patients, categorized according to the primary health centres, blocks, districts and states. 
• The sponsors can select the number of patients as per their capacity.

Components of the scheme: 

• The Ni-kshay Mitra initiative which forms a vital component of the `Abhiyaan’ is also launched along with the Abhiyaan. 
  • This portal provides a platform for donors to provide various forms of support to those undergoing TB treatment. 
• The three-pronged support includes:
  • Nutritional, 
  • Additional diagnostic,
  • Vocational support. 

Monthly Food Basket: 

About Tuberculosis

• TB remains the world’s deadliest infectious killer.
• Each day, over 4000 people lose their lives to TB and close to 30,000 people fall ill with this preventable and curable disease
• TB is caused by bacteria (Mycobacterium tuberculosis) that most often affect the lungs.
• Transmission: TB is spread from person to person through the air. When people with TB cough, sneeze or spit, they propel the TB germs into the air.
• Symptoms: Cough with sputum and blood at times, chest pains, weakness, weight loss, fever and night sweats.
• Treatment: TB is a treatable and curable disease. It is treated with a standard 6 month course of 4 antimicrobial drugs that are provided with information, supervision and support to the patient by a health worker or trained volunteer.
• Anti-TB medicines have been used for decades and strains that are resistant to 1 or more of the medicines have been documented in every country surveyed.
• Multidrug-resistant tuberculosis (MDR-TB) is a form of TB caused by bacteria that do not respond to isoniazid and rifampicin, the 2 most powerful, first-line anti-TB drugs. MDR-TB is treatable and curable by using second-line drugs.
• Extensively drug-resistant TB (XDR-TB) is a more serious form of MDR-TB caused by bacteria that do not respond to the most effective second-line anti-TB drugs, often leaving patients without any further treatment options.

-Source: The Hindu