- State Felicitated at National Level for Excellence in Implementing TB-Free Panchayat Programme
Chhattisgarh, under the visionary leadership of Chief Minister Shri Vishnu Deo Sai, is making rapid and determined strides in eliminating tuberculosis (TB) from the state. Aligned with Prime Minister Narendra Modi’s national goal to make India TB-free by 2025, Chhattisgarh has launched a wide-ranging and focused implementation plan across districts.
Launched on December 7, 2024, under the leadership of CM Shri Sai and guidance of Health Minister Shri Shyam Bihari Jaiswal, the “Nikshay-Niramay Chhattisgarh – 100-Day Campaign” was designed as a decisive ground-level offensive against TB. The campaign involved door-to-door visits across all districts to identify high-risk individuals, who were then registered and screened using advanced diagnostic technologies. Over 36 lakh people were screened, more than 4.5 lakh underwent X-rays, and over 1.5 lakh individuals were tested using state-of-the-art CBNAAT (NAAT) machines — a critical step in early diagnosis and rapid treatment.
Public participation played a pivotal role in the campaign’s success. The Governor, Chief Minister, and Health Minister themselves adopted TB patients as ‘Nikshay Mitras’, providing them with regular nutritional support. To date, over 15,000 new Nikshay Mitras have registered and extended nutritional aid to more than 34,000 TB patients. Lawmakers, local representatives, women, youth, NGOs, and citizens across the state have actively supported the initiative.
Following CM Sai’s directive, the campaign has also focused on socially and economically vulnerable groups — including jail inmates, senior citizens in old-age homes, children in hostels, and labourers in industrial units. Dedicated screening and treatment camps were organised for these underserved communities to ensure no one is left behind.
Thanks to these comprehensive efforts and collective participation, Chhattisgarh has been honoured at the national level for exemplary implementation of the TB-Free Panchayat programme. So far, 4,106 gram panchayats across the state have been officially declared TB-free — a landmark achievement.
Speaking on the milestone, Chief Minister Shri Vishnu Deo Sai remarked, “When administrative commitment and public participation come together, change becomes more than a goal — it becomes a reality. Chhattisgarh is now becoming a living example of that transformation.”