The centre is working on a strategic plan to eradicate tuberculosis. Health secretary C K Mishra said that a final plan will be ready in a month.
The centre isn't going to announce a new scheme in this regard. Instead, it will provide a guidance on how to tackle the disease.
The secretary said that funds allocated for the National Health Mission will be used for implementing this strategy. The health ministry has been provided with Rs 22,000 crore as budgetary support for the National Health Mission. According to the recent government report on tuberculosis, the Centre sent Rs 373 crore to states in 2014-15, Rs 483 crores in 2015-16 and Rs 342 crores in 2016-17.
Tuberculosis has focussed attention from the government. Union Minister for Health J P Nadda stated, "Prime Minister Narendra Modi reviewed the progress of tuberculosis eradication plan in a the pragati meeting." 130 high-risk areas will be in the government's focus with the intention of eradicating tuberculosis by 2025. The government will also be looking at treating multi-drug resistant tuberculosis. The minister stated that there has been a 35% rise in drug-resistant tuberculosis.
Mortality rate due to tuberculosis has decreased from 56 per lakh patients in 2000 to 36 per lakh patients in 2015, according to the government report.
