Srinagar: Sumeet Kumar Jarangal, Joint Secretary in the Department for Promotion of Industry and Internal Trade (DPIIT), Ministry of Commerce and Industry, and Prabhari Officer for Jammu and Kashmir, on Friday chaired a virtual review meeting to assess the implementation of the TB Mukt Bharat Abhiyan under the National Tuberculosis Elimination Programme (NTEP) in the Union Territory.
The meeting was attended by National Health Mission (NHM) J&K Mission Director Athar Amir Shafi Ul Khan, directors of health services in Jammu and Kashmir, State Tuberculosis Officers (STOs), Chief Medical Officers (CMOs), District Tuberculosis Officers (DTOs) and officials of the NHM programme management unit.
During the meeting, Khan presented an overview of the programme’s progress, highlighting efforts to expand screening at the grassroots level, strengthen diagnostic networks and improve patient tracking through the Ni-kshay portal.
He also outlined measures to strengthen field-level operations, expand differentiated tuberculosis care and improve access to nutritional support, with the aim of reducing illness and deaths caused by the disease.
Jarangal stressed the need for stronger coordination between the Jammu and Kashmir administration and the Union Ministry of Health and Family Welfare (MoH&FW) to identify and address gaps in programme implementation.
He said achieving tuberculosis elimination in the Union Territory required coordinated action by government departments and communities, including greater public participation, intensified screening in high-risk villages and improved diagnostic infrastructure.
The review covered key performance indicators, including population mapping, coverage of X-ray examinations in high-risk areas, utilisation of diagnostic testing facilities and timely disbursement of nutritional assistance under the Ni-kshay Poshan Yojana through direct benefit transfer (DBT).
The meeting also assessed the participation of Ni-kshay Mitras, who support tuberculosis patients, and MY Bharat volunteers in the programme.
Jarangal urged district-level teams to address implementation gaps and intensify their efforts to achieve national tuberculosis elimination targets.
