Active community engagement is vital to end TB: Dr Tamilisai Soundararajan

Hyderabad: Governor Dr. Tamilisai Soundararajan on Friday emphasised the importance of active community engagement in the fight against tuberculosis.

"It is vital to ensure active participation of the community and enlist support of the family at all levels to realise the goal of TB-mukt Bharat by 2025," she said.

The Governor was launching the sale of TB seal at a special function at Durbar Hall of Raj Bhavan, here.

Dr. Soundararajan set the task for the TB Association of Telangana to intensify efforts to ensure the TB-mukt Telangana by 2024.

She decided to adopt 100 TB patients and the adopted patients will get nutritional food for six months. Inspired by her gesture, a total of 10 officers have also decided to adopt as many TB patients; the patients will get nutritional food and support for the treatment period.

Dr. Soundararajan called upon donors and philanthropists to come forward to adopt poor TB patients and provide them with nutritional food and other support to help them get cured of the dreaded disease.

The Governor expressed her confidence that the remaining 10 per cent of the total TB patients would find donors to adopt them by the end of this October. She appreciated the fact that of the 28,000 patients, at least 25,000 have got support from philanthropists and organisations in the State.

Referring to the multi-drug resistant TB, she said it was a new challenge for the medical fraternity to offer effective treatment to patients.

She exhorted non-governmental organisations, the Indian Red Cross Society, volunteers, and all other stakeholders to join hands with the government in fighting TB.

The Governor called for intensive efforts by all sections of people in creating better awareness to prevent spread of TB.

Secretary to Governor K Surendra Mohan and other representatives from the TB Association of Telangana were present.