Tatsat Chronicle Magazine

IndianOil’s CSR initiative to help eradicate TB disease in Punjab and Uttar Pradesh

January 9, 2022
tuberculosis

IndianOil has committed to supporting National TB Disease Eradication Program (NTEP) in India by providing an enabling environment through integrated and prioritized initiatives with City Coordination Committees, District Health Societies, Technical Support Groups, etc. in 75 districts of Uttar Pradesh and 23 districts in Punjab. ) has resolved to support. The main objective of the program is to screen and test all the people of Uttar Pradesh and Punjab every year for the next three years. Once the patients are informed, their treatment will continue as per the protocol of the National TB Disease Eradication Programme.

Tuberculosis continues to be one of India’s severest health challenges. India has a large number of ‘missing’ cases every year that are not detected or reported.

In 2018, PM Narendra Modi, had given a clarion call to End TB in India by 2025, five years ahead of the Sustainable Development Goal (SDG) target of 2030. The Government of India makes a substantial provision in the annual budget for the TB disease eradication programme. However, given its seriousnessthere is a need for a meaningful effort on the part of the government to identify the number of missing TB patients every year by augmenting the existing resourcesservice delivery mechanism and infrastructure. TB eradication is a national duty, Therefore additional efforts are needed to identify TB patients for treatment. There is a need to reach almost all people every year for symptomatic screening and more than 10 million people with symptoms need to be tested over the next 3.5 years, in order to break the chain of transmission of this infection by early diagnosis.

To fulfill the Prime Minister’s dream, Indian Oil Corporation Limited, under the auspices of the Ministry of Petroleum and Natural Gas, in association with the Ministry of Health and Family Welfare, is joining the “mass movement” for a “TB Free India”.as a conscious corporate citizen, having a sizeable presence in Uttar Pradesh and Punjab, the company has decided to play a vital role in connecting the dots of demand aggregation, supply-side strengthening, and enabling the environment.

Uttar Pradesh is the most populous state in India (approximately 20 per cent of India’s population). At the same time, it accounts for about one-fourth of the estimated number of missing patients in the country. Punjab hosts a large number of migrant workers from many states and ensuring care for TB patients among migrants is a challenge.

In collaboration with the State Government, demand aggregation (identification of patients) will be supported by running information, education & communication (IEC) programs in the community and strengthening ASHA, ANM & AWW workers in the state by incentivising them for accurate screening of population. Supply-side strengthening (strengthening infrastructure) will be done through creating more facilities for testing by providing machines at block level & medicine delivery mechanism through Mobile Vans, etc.