Assam MLAs urged to engage in eliminating TB

Assam Chief Minister Sarbananda Sonowal on Friday urged the MLAs to engage actively in the effort to eliminate tuberculosis from the state in line with Prime Minister Narendra Modi's call for a TB-free India by 2025.

Stigma and social ostracisation haunt TB patients and everyone needs to play a visible role to battle these, the chief minister said.

"Assam government stands together with the Union Ministry of Health and Family Welfare in its efforts towards TB elimination as it is a disease of grave implications for those affected by it," Sonowal said.

He was speaking at the roundtable on TB organised by the Resource Group for Advocacy and Education for Community Health (REACH) held at the assembly's central hall.

He sought the support of all MLAs of the state assembly in initiating constituency level activities on TB and expanding the reach of the TB programmes.

Assembly Speaker H N Goswami said there are several efforts made by the Department of Health and the Revised National TB Control Program (RNTCP) in the state.

Involvement of the elected representatives can bring in a positive change in the effort to eliminate the disease, he said.

Altogether 40,174 TB cases were reported in Assam in 2017, according to the India TB Report 2018: Annual Status report.

The Roundtable on TB has been an attempt to bring together the MLAs to discuss and brainstorm the status and roadmap for TB elimination in Assam. In the coming months, a detailed Action Plan will be developed to be implemented jointly by the state RNTCP mechanism, the MLAs and the civil society organisation partners.

The meeting was attended by more than 35 MLAs of different political parties.

It was organised by the REACH in collaboration with the Department of Health and Family Welfare and with the support of the US Agency for International Development (USAID).