IMPHAL, AUG 6: Governor of Manipur, Ajay Kumar Bhalla, today reviewed the progress of the National Tuberculosis Elimination Programme (NTEP) for Manipur at Lok Bhavan, Imphal. The meeting was attended by Chief Secretary Puneet Kumar Goel, Commissioner-cum-Secretary (Health & Family Welfare) Sumant Singh, and senior officials of the Health Department.
During the meeting, the Governor launched the Nikshay Mitra Manipur (nikshaymitramanipur.com) web portal under the Pradhan Mantri TB Mukt Bharat Abhiyan. The portal aims to facilitate greater community participation by enabling individuals, elected representatives, institutions and organisations to register as Nikshay Mitras and support tuberculosis patients through the provision of monthly nutritional food baskets and other essential assistance.
Giving a comprehensive presentation, Commissioner-cum-Secretary Sumant Singh outlined the progress of the TB Mukt Bharat Abhiyan in Manipur. He highlighted the programme’s focus on district-led coordination, active case finding, preventive treatment, nutritional support, community participation and regular monitoring. He informed that the State has recorded a significant expansion in TB screening and diagnostic services, with substantial improvements in vulnerable population screening, X-ray examinations, NAAT testing and treatment completion. He also highlighted the procurement of AI-enabled handheld X-ray devices to facilitate rapid TB screening, particularly in remote and difficult-to-reach areas.
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Highlighting the roadmap ahead, Sumant Singh said the programme will focus on strengthening district-led implementation through regular reviews, expanding active case finding and preventive treatment, mobilising more Nikshay Mitras and CSR partners to provide nutritional support, integrating TB screening with other public health programmes, leveraging technology for improved diagnosis and monitoring, and enhancing community participation to accelerate Manipur’s journey towards a TB-free State.
After comprehensively reviewing the progress of the National Tuberculosis Elimination Programme (NTEP) and the implementation of the TB Mukt Bharat Abhiyan in the State, the Governor appreciated the efforts of the Health Department and other stakeholders. He directed the officials to sustain the momentum through effective implementation, regular monitoring and close inter-departmental coordination, while strengthening early detection, treatment and community participation.
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