Srinagar, Jul 08 (KNO): In a review meeting of the National Tuberculosis Elimination Programme (NTEP), chaired by the Chief Secretary, Atal Dulloo today it was highlighted that Jammu & Kashmir has identified all High-Risk Villages (HRVs) to be covered under the intensive TB screening campaign.
The meeting was attended by Commissioner Secretary, Health & Medical Education (H&ME); Director SKIMS; Mission Director, National Health Mission (NHM); Managing Director, JKMSCL; Principals of Government Medical Colleges (GMCs); Director, Health Services, Kashmir/Jammu; and Senior Faculty Members from various medical institutions across the UT.
Commending the sustained efforts of healthcare workers the Chief Secretary emphasized that the fight against tuberculosis requires sustained vigilance, early detection and uninterrupted treatment. He directed all districts to ensure rigorous contact tracing of every notified TB patient so that all household and close contacts are promptly identified, screened and, wherever diagnosed with tuberculosis, immediately linked to appropriate treatment under the National TB Mukt Bharat Abhiyan. He stressed that timely contact investigation and initiation of treatment are critical to breaking the chain of transmission and achieving the goal of TB elimination.
The Chief Secretary also laid special emphasis on the effective utilisation of the 'Khushi Chatbot' integrated with the TB Mukt Bharat App, observing that the platform serves as an important digital companion for TB patients by providing ready access to authentic information, treatment guidance and counselling.
He noted that the availability of information in local languages greatly enhances awareness, addresses misconceptions and encourages treatment adherence among patients and their families, thereby strengthening community participation in the fight against tuberculosis. He directed the concerned officers to maximise enrolment of patients on the application and ensure its wider use across all districts.
The review meeting assessed the progress made under Phase-II of the TB Mukt Bharat Abhiyan and noted substantial improvements across several key indicators over the past three weeks, reflecting the focused efforts of the Health & Medical Education Department, district administrations, and field-level healthcare workers.
The meeting was further informed that 6.85 lakh individuals residing in High-Risk Villages have already been screened under the campaign, representing a significant increase in community outreach over the past three weeks. The intensified field activities have substantially improved active case finding, particularly in vulnerable and underserved populations.
A major milestone highlighted by the Commissioner Secretary, H&ME, M.Raju during the meeting was the successful conduct of 1,525 Nikshay Shivirs covering all 1,518 identified High-Risk Villages, thereby achieving 100 percent geographical coverage under the campaign.
To further strengthen field diagnostics, he divulged that 11 additional hand-held digital X-ray machines have been deployed in districts including Reasi, Doda, Rajouri, Ramban, Baramulla, Srinagar and Kupwara through support from the Central TB Division and Corporate Social Responsibility initiatives, significantly enhancing the diagnostic capacity in remote and difficult areas.
Considerable improvement was also recorded in the use of digital chest X-ray screening. The number of vulnerable individuals undergoing chest X-ray examination increased from 1.72 lakh to over 3.15 lakh, resulting in the overall X-ray examination rate increasing from 70 percent to nearly 79 percent. Several districts including Baramulla, Kupwara, Srinagar and Budgam have achieved exceptionally high X-ray coverage, reflecting improved compliance with national screening protocols.
The review further noted encouraging progress in molecular diagnostics. A total of 95,810 microbiological investigations have been carried out, of which 91 percent were conducted using rapid molecular tests (NAAT), ensuring early and accurate diagnosis while reducing dependence on conventional microscopy.
Moreover the implementation of TB Preventive Treatment (TPT) also witnessed notable progress. The proportion of eligible household contacts initiated on preventive therapy increased from 34 percent to 65 percent, representing a substantial advancement towards preventing the progression of latent TB infection into active disease.
Additionally it was made out that the nutritional support to TB patients has also expanded considerably under the TB Mukt Bharat Abhiyan. Distribution of Poshan Kits increased from 54.5 percent to 86 percent, with nearly 3,930 patients receiving nutritional assistance. Several districts have now achieved near-universal coverage among consenting beneficiaries, reinforcing the programme's emphasis on holistic patient care.
The review further highlighted that Jammu & Kashmir continues to perform well in TB surveillance and diagnosis. During the first six months of the current year, over 3.19 lakh presumptive TB diagnostic tests have been conducted across the Union Territory, substantially exceeding the national benchmark of 3,000 tests per lakh population, with all districts remaining on track to achieve their annual diagnostic targets.
A particularly encouraging outcome presented during the review was the substantial reduction in TB-related mortality. While 88 TB deaths were recorded in the Nikshay portal during January–June 2026, no death has been confirmed as attributable to tuberculosis following detailed TB Death Audits, indicating significant improvement in diagnosis, treatment adherence and patient management.
Reviewing the progress made on previous directions, the meeting was informed that the proposal for providing Free Diagnostics under Differentiated TB Care has already received approval from the Ministry of Health & Family Welfare, Government of India, with financial assistance of ₹117 lakh. The process for constituting Block Level Committees to strengthen monitoring and implementation of the TB Mukt Bharat Abhiyan has also been initiated across the Union Territory.
The Chief Secretary reiterated that the Government of Jammu & Kashmir remains fully committed to achieving the national vision of a TB-Mukt Bharat, through coordinated action, community participation, technological innovation and timely delivery of quality healthcare services—(KNO)