Maharashtra Reports 24,287 New TB Cases Under National Elimination Campaign
Maharashtra Reports 24,287 New TB Cases Under National Elimination Campaign
Maharashtra has recorded 24,287 new tuberculosis (TB) cases as part of the ongoing 100-day National TB Elimination Programme (NTEP). Launched on December 7, the initiative is being implemented across 347 districts nationwide, including 17 rural districts and 13 municipal corporations in Maharashtra.
The state health department has screened over 81 lakh individuals for TB in the past two months. These cases have been registered on the Centre’s Nikshay portal, which tracks TB patients. In 2024, Maharashtra had reported 2,24,000 TB cases.
Talking To The Indian Express, Dr. Sandeep Sangle, Joint Director of Health (TB) said, the programme aims to improve TB detection, enhance testing efficiency, reduce mortality, and prevent new cases.
Over 1.87 lakh individuals underwent chest X-ray screenings, while 1.5 lakh suspected cases were tested through Nucleic Acid Amplification Testing (NAAT). Microscopic examinations were conducted for another 1.09 lakh suspected cases.
Mumbai recorded over 8,000 new TB cases, followed by Thane (1,148) and Nagpur (1,012). Other affected areas include Nanded Waghala, Solapur, Pimpri-Chinchwad, and municipal corporations in Ahilyanagar, Amravati, Dhule, Jalgaon, Kolhapur, Malegaon, and Ulhasnagar.
To support patients, 42,446 individuals have received benefits under the Nikshay Poshan Yojana, and over 12,340 food baskets have been distributed by Nikshay Mitra volunteers.
Additionally, awareness programs have been conducted for medical associations to strengthen TB prevention and management efforts.
