Chief Secy calls for early screening and treatment to make J&K TB-free

SRINAGAR : Chief Secretary, Atal Dulloo, on thursday chaired a high-level meeting to review the progress of the TB Mukt Bharat Abhiyan and assess the measures undertaken by the Health & Medical Education Department to achieve the vision of a Tuberculosis-free Jammu and Kashmir.
The meeting was attended by Secretary, Health & Medical Education (H&ME), Dr. Syed Abid Rashid Shah; Mission Director, National Health Mission (NHM), Baseer-Ul-Haq Chaudhary; Managing Director, JKMSCL; Principals of Government Medical Colleges (GMCs); Directors of Health Services, Jammu and Kashmir; HoD, Chest Medicine, GMC Srinagar; and senior faculty members from various medical institutions across the UT. Deputy Commissioners joined the deliberations through video conferencing.
While reviewing the current scenario, the Chief Secretary stressed the need for early identification and comprehensive management of TB patients to ensure their complete recovery. He directed health professionals to undertake end-to-end monitoring of patients, encouraging them to personally adopt a few cases each, extend individualized medical support, and maintain regular contact with patients to track their progress.
Underscoring the importance of vigorous contact tracing, Dulloo called for strengthening the network of ASHA workers to facilitate home visits and ensure ‘at-home’ care and counselling, thereby improving adherence to treatment and recovery outcomes.
The Chief Secretary held an extensive interaction with Deputy Commissioners to review the availability, utilization, and functionality of diagnostic equipment, screening mechanisms, and treatment facilities across all districts. He urged the district administrations to optimise resources, ensure uninterrupted supply of medicines, and strengthen coordination between district health teams and field functionaries for timely service delivery.
He also called for annual analysis of TB-related deaths to determine underlying causes and implement corrective measures to prevent avoidable fatalities. He directed the Health Department to ensure integration of patient records with the Sehat App and the Ayushman Bharat Digital Mission (ABDM) portal for seamless record management and monitoring.
The Chief Secretary further reviewed the action taken on directions issued in earlier meetings, emphasizing their strict and time-bound implementation to secure better outcomes under the Abhiyan.
Providing updates, Secretary H&ME, Dr. Syed Abid Rashid Shah, informed that significant progress has been achieved in strengthening TB surveillance, infrastructure, and early diagnostic systems. He stated that J&K has achieved 100% notification of TB cases, with 11,499 cases reported, while 92% of the vulnerable population has been screened placing the Union Territory among the best-performing regions in the country.
He added that all District TB Centres (DTCs) are adequately equipped to meet screening and treatment targets, and efforts are underway to ensure patient adoption by doctors and regular home visits by ASHA workers for sustained patient engagement.
Mission Director, NHM, Baseer-Ul-Haq Chaudhary, informed that 22.09 lakh individuals from the vulnerable population have been screened for TB so far, with a presumptive testing ratio of 4,636 per lakh population in J&K. A total of 5.59 lakh people have been tested.
He further apprised that community support worth ₹3.5 crore has been extended to benefit 6,982 patients, while 7,891 patients are currently under treatment. Of these, 6,618 have been linked to Nikshay Mitras for additional nutritional and emotional support, with the total number of registered Mitras reaching 6,728 across J&K.
Reiterating the UT Administration’s commitment to eradicate TB, the Chief Secretary underscored that coordinated inter-departmental efforts, community participation, and optimal use of available resources are key to achieving the objectives of the TB Mukt Bharat Abhiyan.
He emphasized that through sustained awareness, technological integration, and compassionate outreach by medical professionals, Jammu and Kashmir can emerge as a model TB-free region in the country.