Union health Minister Mansukh Mandaviya on Tuesday said that India extends full support to a global plan for a new tuberculosis vaccine by 2025. Mandaviya was speaking at a session at the World Economic Forum (WEF) Annual Meeting 2023 at Davos on ‘Ending Tuberculosis’. He added that India is not only fully prepared but in an advanced stage for taking this forward.
As per WHO around 1.6 million people lost their lives globally in 2021 due to Tuberculosis. This made TB one of the world’s leading causes of death from the infectious disease, before COVID-19 surpassed it.
The health minister also said that India, under the leadership of Prime Minister Narendra Modi, has been at the forefront of fighting tuberculosis globally.
“We are committed, and this is evident from fact that we have advanced the SDG goals related to Tuberculosis by five years to 2025 and being the Chair of the ‘Stop TB Partnership Board’, I also have additional responsibility towards TB management efforts globally,” the minister said.
Mandaviya added the disease affects millions of lives and its management is specifically close to his heart.
“Several initiatives and steps have been taken in order to intensify case finding, ensure medicine supply including tele consultation services to every Tuberculosis patient,” he added.
Talking about ‘Pradhan Mantri TB Mukt Bharat Abhiyan’, the minister said that it is a very unique campaign of community engagement. Mandaviya added that the campaign aims to provide TB patients with increased nutritional diagnostic and vocational support delivered through the community.
Over 50,000 Ni-kshay Mitras have adopted over 1.3 million patients of TB under the Pradhan Mantri TB Mukt Bharat Abhiyaan.
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