TB Mukt Panchayat organized by District Tuberculosis Centre, Namchi

Namchi, 23rd June(IPR): Training cum Orientation to Zilla Members and Panchayats on Tuberculosis (TB) Mukt Panchayat organized by District Tuberculosis Centre, Namchi was held at the auditorium of Namchi Girls’ Senior Secondary School, today. The Chief Guest for the occasion was Zilla Adhakshya (Namchi) Ms. Anjeeta Rai. She was accompained by Upadhakshyay (Namchi) Mr. Bikash Tamang, ADC (Dev, Ravangla) Mr. Sunil Mothey, J.D (Education) Mr. G.P. Sharma, District Tuberculosis Officer (DTO) Dr. Pratik Rasaily along with health staff and panchayats.
Addressing, the gathering Chief Guest Zilla Adhakshya (Namchi) Ms. Anjeeta Rai informed that it was the Prime Minister, Mr. Narendra Modi who launched the TB-Mukt Panchayat initiative, which works for TB Preventive Treatment, earlier this year. She remarked that Panchayats and the health department in proper coordination and by collective efforts can arrive at a holistic strategy that assimilates best practices and offers learnings about potential solutions that can mitigate not just TB, but other diseases as well. Additionally, she said that it is imperative for the Panchayat at grassroot level to understand the cause of TB, its treatment and to get rid of the stigma associated with the disease.TB Mukt Panchayat programme will not only cease to discriminate against TB patients, rather it will encourage them to undergo treatment, encouraging community welfare and responsibilities, she added.
ADC (Dev, Ravangla) Mr. Sunil Mothey urged the gathering to understand the module of TB Mukt Panchayat programme and highlighted the concept of ‘Healthy Villages’, which has been envisaged for achieving Sustainable Development Goals in Panchayati Raj Institutions. The health functionaries at the village and at PHC, PHSC, HWC levels, along with the support of Gram Panchayats, will be making substantial efforts for ending TB in the state as well as in the country. The objective of “TB Mukt Panchayat” is to empower the Panchayati Raj Institutions to realize the extent and magnitude of problems associated with TB, take necessary actions towards solving them, create healthy competition amongst Panchayats and to appreciate their contribution. Further, he said that it is extremely important to spread awareness about this programme and emphasized that public participation and public attention is equally important in the battle against TB. The high point of this programme he said, is that Certificates will be awarded for ‘TB Mukt Panchayat’, with one year validity. The Certificate will be issued to qualified Gram Panchayats every year.
Along with the certificate, a small statue of Mahatma Gandhi will also be awarded to TB Mukt Gram Panchayat as a mark of his vision towards healthy villages. The statue will be of bronze colour for maintaining TB Mukt Panchayat for first year, silver colour for continuous two
years and gold colour for continuous three years.
DTO Dr. Pratik Rasaily, briefed about TB disease and underlined that patients with four symptoms (cough, fever, night sweats, and weight loss) should be evaluated for TB tests. Those diagnosed with TB must start medication to complete their full TB treatment. Moreover, it was informed that TB not only just affects lungs but can also cause joint damage, liver and kidney issues, and even bone infections. The best way to deal with it is to spot it early and start the treatment as the disease is very much treatable. The DTO further shared data on TB Cases and encouraged the attendees to understand the TB disease, support the patients in getting proper treatment and assist in eliminating this curable disease.