100-day tuberculosis elimination campaign: Maharashtra identifies over 7,000 new TB cases in first month

“The aim is to identify new cases among vulnerable groups and ensure effective management,” said Dr Sandeep Sangle, joint director of health (TB). Maharashtra reported 2.25 lakh TB cases in 2024.

Across the country, over 2 crore people have been screened, resulting in the identification of 1.48 lakh new TB cases within the campaign’s first 30 days, according to officials from the Union Ministry of Health and Family Welfare. A key objective of the 100-day TB elimination campaign is to enhance diagnostics and treatment services, especially for the most vulnerable populations. This includes individuals living in remote and underserved areas, marginalised communities, and those with co-morbidities such as diabetes, HIV/AIDS, and malnutrition.

The campaign will focus on high-burden areas, utilising specialised strategies aimed at improving access to advanced diagnostics and reducing delays in the initiation of treatment. “The innovative aspect of the 100-day campaign is the jan bhagidari (community partnership_ approach,” said Dr Sachin Jadhav, TB officer for the Raigad district.

Raigad has been a leader in implementing various initiatives under the National Tuberculosis Elimination Programme. According to Dr Jadhav, the TB-free gram panchayat initiative is a significant step forward.

“Leaders in gram panchayats play a crucial role in enhancing their communities by providing government services, addressing local issues, and promoting development. They can leverage their influence to raise awareness about tuberculosis, share accurate information, and help reduce the stigma and discrimination faced by those affected by the disease. These efforts can also alleviate the financial and social challenges of TB. In 2023, as many as 90 gram panchayats were officially declared TB-free,” he said.

“One month after the campaign was launched, we identified 150 new tuberculosis cases,” Dr Jadhav said. He added that they had partnered with various organisations, including Mahanagar Gas Ltd, Pidilite Industries, Godrej, Hindalco, Jawaharlal Nehru Port Authority (JNPA), Oil and Natural Gas Corporation (ONGC), government departments, and the Indian Medical Association.

In Pimpri-Chinchwad, religious leaders have played a key role in raising awareness about TB. According to Dr Balasaheb Hodgar, PCMC TB officer, over 83,273 people have been screened for the disease. In just one month, at least 200 new TB cases were identified. The diagnostics used to detect new cases include X-ray screenings and nucleic acid amplification Testing (NAAT).

Health officials have identified specific districts based on various factors such as death, presumptive examination, and estimated incidence rates. The 17 districts identified are Ahilyanagar, Bhandara, Chandrapur, Gadchiroli, Gondia, Kolhapur, Latur, Nanded, Nandurbar, Nashik, Parbhani, Raigad, Sangli, Satara, Sindhudurg, Washim, and Yavatmal.

Additionally, there are 12 municipal corporations considered to have a high disease burden. These are Ahilyanagar, Amravati, Dhule, Jalgaon, Kolhapur, Malegaon, Nagpur, Nanded Waghala, Pimpri Chinchwad, Solapur, Thane, and Ulhasnagar.