Health, AYUSH ministries sign MoU for Tuberculosis-Free India initiative

The Union health and AYUSH ministries Thursday singed a memorandum of understanding to forge inter-sectoral convergence at the level of policy, planning and programme implementation for accelerated response towards Tuberculosis-Free India initiative.

The aim is to develop linkages and integration of TB care services within the infrastructure and institutional network of AYUSH.

The MoU was signed by Union Health Secretary Preeti Sudan and AYUSH Secretary Vaidya Rajesh Kotecha in the presence of respective ministers Harsh Vardhan and Sripad Yesso Naik.

On the occasion, Naik said tuberculosis is a serious social problem mainly affecting the population battling with poverty, malnutrition, poor hygiene, housing and working conditions.

"AYUSH systems have potential knowledge base, qualified and trained human resources and holistic healthcare practices to help achieve the objective of TB-free India," he said.

Accordingly, it is expected that multifaceted issues of people suffering from TB can be addressed with integrated approaches, inter-sectoral convergence and meaningful involvement of the AYUSH sector, Naik said.

The agreement with the Central TB Division of the Ministry of Health outlines the scope and extent of AYUSH involvement in sensitization, awareness generation, capacity building of such institutions and health service providers in the areas of TB diagnosis, control and management.

Focused activities envisaged under the MoU will cover joint planning for working with AYUSH organisations and professional bodies, and promoting adjuvant use of evidence- based AYUSH interventions for, TB control and management, an official said.

It is also intended to facilitate research collaboration and best practices of AYUSH healthcare and build up capacities for TB-free work places and communities.

Both ministries will appoint nodal officers for developing an implementation plan, modalities of operationalization and steering the collaboration activities outlined in the MoU, the official said.