Mysore/Mysuru: Collaboration to Eliminate Tuberculosis Among Indians (CETI), Ashraya Hastha Trust and Central Government’s National Tuberculosis Elimination Programme have jointly launched a project to make Mysuru and Chamarajanagar Tuberculosis (TB)-free districts. The project ‘CAP-TB’ launched on a pilot basis was formally kick-started by Infosys Co-Founder and Ashraya Hastha Trust Founder K. Dinesh at Sri Rajendra Centenary Auditorium, JSS Hospital on M.G. Road in city recently.

Following a two-month preliminary arrangement, the project was formally being taken up by launching the activities on an experimental basis to get rid of TB in both the districts.

In the first phase, it has been planned to eliminate TB in Mysuru district’s K.R. Nagar, Periyapatna and T. Narasipur taluks and Chamarajanagar district’s Kollegal and Gundlupet taluks. It has been planned to take up the programmes under Plan-Do-Study-Act (PDSA), through CAP-TB Project.

Under the project, the target is to make both Mysuru and Chamarajanagar districts TB-free in the next two years. A meeting of officials from various Departments including those of Health and Family Welfare Department and representatives of various NGOs was also conducted in relation to the implementation of the project, during the launch of the project.

K.M. Gayathri, Chief Executive Officer (CEO) of Mysuru Zilla Panchayat, who was the chief guest, said that “It is possible to get rid of TB only when the doctors, NGOs and District Administration work in tandem to implement the plans. We have successfully faced Covid-19 that struck all of a sudden. We have the energy to drive away TB too, but we have to show willingness in this regard.”

“When I was the CEO of Chamarajanagar ZP, I had identified tribal areas to implement TB-related programmes. More TB cases are reported in those areas and hence more emphasis was laid on adopting the patients under Ni-Kshay Mitra of Pradhan Mantri TB-mukt Bharat Abhiyaan. The concept of the campaign is to enable the people who can afford to adopt the poor TB patients and provide nutritious food to them for a period of six months,” said Gayathri.

To eliminate TB, more focus should be on tribal areas. Firstly, there should be a planning on the action to be taken after conducting a survey. The ZP will extend complete cooperation in this regard, she assured.

Commodore (retd.) Raman Arora, Course Director of CAP- TP Project, shared the information related to the project and its aim.

Asha Dinesh, wife of K. Dinesh, Dr. S. Anil, Karnataka State TB Control Officer, Dr. Rajeshwari Devi, Joint Director of Health and Family Welfare Department, Mysuru Division, Dr. Siraj Ahmed, District TB Control Officer, Dr. H. Basavanagowdappa, Principal of JSS Medical College, Pharmacist N. Raghavan, Proprietor of Raghulal & Co., and others were present.

Under Ni-Kshay Mitra, 900 TB patients adopted in Mysuru

District TB Control Officer Dr. Siraj Ahmed said that ‘The programmes will be implemented by City NGO to get rid of TB in Mysuru and Chamarajanagar. The required financial assistance will be given by Ashraya Hastha Trust. The City NGO will start with awareness programmes and take up the diagnose in association with Health and Family Welfare Department.’

Dr. Siraj Ahmed told Star of Mysore that “Last year, a total of 4,066 TB cases were identified in Mysuru district, and free treatment is available under Pradhan Mantri TB-mukt Bharat Abhiyaan. Along with this, under Ni-Kshay Mitra, the TB patients can be adopted for six months and provide nutritious food to them for six months. Currently in Mysuru district, 2,000 TB patients are being treated and 900 among them are adopted under Ni-Kshay Mitra. Individually, I have also adopted 20 patients and Raghavan of Raghulal & Co., has adopted 500 patients.”