Inauguration of 'TB Workplace Policy & Corporate Engagement to End TB' | 13 Jul 2023

Why in News?

According to the information received from the media on July 12, 2023, under the National Tuberculosis Eradication Program, the state level program of 'TB WorkPlace Policy and Corporate Engagement to End TB' organized in Jharkhand's capital Ranchi was inaugurated.

Key Points:

• In the programme, Health Minister Banna Gupta said that the target has to be achieved by working on time after preparing an action plan to eradicate TB. The target of eradicating TB in the whole world is by the year 2030, while the national target is by the year 2025, while the target of eradicating TB in Jharkhand has been set by December, 2024. So far 57,567 TB patients have been identified in the state.
• The minister said that work is being done to make people aware about TB in all the districts and to make the Panchayat TB free. The representatives of the first 10 TB-free panchayats will be awarded at the state level by the state government, and gold, silver, and bronze medals will be awarded to all TB-free panchayats.
• For the first time in the country, the state government has come up with a workplace policy for TB, its Comorbidities and Occupational Lung Disease, so that people can campaign to make their work areas TB-free by using the resources available with the state government.
• This is the Unique Employee Lead Model. After the implementation of this policy, people will be able to make their workplace TB free. Also, the mantra of 'TB Harega, Jharkhand Jitega' will be successful.
• Additional Chief Secretary, Health Department, Arun Kumar Singh said that Jharkhand has become the first state in the country to inaugurate TB workplace policy and Corporate Engagement to end TB.
• It is worth mentioning that the main reason for TB is low immunity and not getting good food. The bacteria spreads through the air and affects the lungs.
• Government and non-government organizations were honored in the program for adopting TB patients from different districts of the state as friends and providing them additional nutritional support under the TB-free India campaign.
• The organizations to be honored are Central Coalfields Limited, Bharat Coking Coal Limited, Steel Authority of India Limited, Bokaro (BGH), Uranium Corporation, Rail Vikas Nigam Limited, Adani Power (Jharkhand) Limited, Adhunik Power & Natural Resources Limited, Usha Martin Limited , Jindal Steel and Power Limited, Tata Steel Foundation, Airport Authority of India.