National TB Task Force Meet begins, State sets 2029 elimination target

PNS

Ranchi

A two-day National Task Force meeting under the National Tuberculosis Elimination Programme (NTEP) commenced in Ranchi on Thursday, with Jharkhand Health Minister Irfan Ansari inaugurating the event at Radisson Blu Hotel.

Organised by the National Health Mission (NHM), Jharkhand, the conference has brought together professors from medical colleges, public health experts, researchers, and policymakers from all 35 states and Union Territories to deliberate on strategies, challenges, research, and innovations aimed at eliminating tuberculosis (TB) in India.

Addressing the gathering, Ansari emphasised that TB elimination must evolve into a mass movement. “Eradicating TB is not just a government programme; it requires active participation from every section of society,” he said.

The minister announced that the Jharkhand government has set an ambitious target to achieve a “TB-free Jharkhand” by 2029 and is working on a war footing towards this goal.

Highlighting efforts to strengthen healthcare infrastructure, he said the state is planning to expand MBBS seats in medical colleges from 100 to 200 and postgraduate seats from 50 to 200. The government is also focusing on increasing the availability of specialist doctors and expanding medical education.

Ansari further stated that Ranchi would be developed as a medical tourism hub in the future, and that work on the proposed RIMS-2 project is progressing, which is envisioned as one of Asia’s largest healthcare institutions.

He also informed that under the statewide TB elimination campaign, more than 1.36 lakh people have already been screened using handheld X-ray technology.

During the event, Padma Shri awardees Dr. Digambar Behera and Dr. Rajendra Prasad were honoured for their outstanding contributions to TB elimination.

Officials from the Central TB Division of the Union Health Ministry, including Dr. Sanjay Mattoo, Dr. Veena Dhawan, and Dr. Raghuram Rao, along with Jharkhand’s Director-in-Chief of Health Services Dr. Siddharth Sanyal and State TB Officer Dr. Kamlesh Kumar, were present at the event.

The conference marks the first time Jharkhand is hosting a national-level meet on such a critical public health issue, reflecting the state’s growing healthcare capacity and institutional strength.