Gandhinagar: The state govt said on Sunday that it has achieved 95% of the tuberculosis registration target and 90% of treatment target set by the Niti Aayog for 2024.
Ahead of World Tuberculosis Day, which is observed on March 24 every year, the govt said that Gujarat was given a target to identify and register 1,45,000 TB patients in 2024, and it registered 1,37,929 patients during the year. It said that 1,31,501 patients were treated for tuberculosis during the period.
The official statement said that during 2024, Rs 43.9 crore was provided as assistance for patient treatment.
To ensure patients continue treatment without financial difficulties, the Gujarat govt provides financial assistance of Rs 500 per patient for medication costs under the Nikshay Poshan Yojana.
In 2024, 118,984 TB patients were beneficiaries of this aid, the statement said. With effect from Nov 1, 2024, the Union govt raised this assistance to Rs 1,000 for each patient.
The state govt said that Gujarat leads in implementing the Union govt’s 100-day intensive TB eradication campaign launched on Dec 7, 2024, covering 16 districts and four municipal corporations. Under the campaign, until March 20, 2025, 35.75 lakh people were tested for TB, resulting in identification and treatment initiation of 16,758 new patients.
Earlier this month, the state govt signed a MoU with Lions Clubs International for nutritional support and better facilities for TB patients.