Low TB screening rates in Punjab highlight the urgent need for stronger awareness and healthcare action under TB Mukt Bharat Abhiyaan
Tuberculosis Still a Major Challenge
Tuberculosis (TB) continues to be one of India’s biggest public health challenges. Even though it is preventable and fully curable, lakhs of Indians still fall sick with TB every year. In Punjab, the situation is worrying. Between December 2024 and September 2025, the state managed to screen only 15% of its high-risk population for TB. Out of nearly 41 lakh vulnerable people, just 6.27 lakh were screened. This means thousands of possible TB cases may have gone undetected — allowing the infection to spread silently in communities.
What Is the TB Mukt Bharat Abhiyaan?
The TB Mukt Bharat Abhiyaan (TB-Free India Campaign) is a national mission launched by the Government of India to eliminate Tuberculosis by 2025, five years before the global target set by the World Health Organization.
The campaign focuses on:
- Active case finding: Health workers visit high-risk areas to identify people showing TB symptoms.
- Nutrition and support: Under the Nikshay Poshan Yojana, every TB patient receives ₹1,000 per month for nutritional support during treatment.
- Community participation: Citizens, NGOs, and corporates are encouraged to adopt TB patients and support their recovery.
- TB-Free Panchayat initiative: Villages and wards that achieve 100% screening and treatment are declared “TB Mukt.”
However, the slow pace of screening in Punjab and a few other states could delay India’s goal of becoming TB-free.
District-Wise Performance Gaps
TB screening data from Punjab show large differences across districts:
- Ferozepur and Amritsar recorded around 47–49% screening.
- Ludhiana reported only 3%, the lowest in the state.
- Patiala, Mohali, and Hoshiarpur were between 10–13%.
These gaps mean that even if some areas perform well, other districts may remain high-risk zones for TB transmission.
Why Screening Rates Are So Low
Health officials cite multiple reasons for the poor TB screening coverage:
- Unrealistic targets that are hard to achieve within short timelines.
- Delay in data entry — many field reports are not uploaded to the central portal on time.
- Shortage of manpower and lack of awareness at the community level.
- Stigma and fear associated with the disease, discouraging people from getting tested.
Dr. Rajesh Bhaskar, head of the Punjab TB Cell, said the department is now outsourcing data entry work to improve accuracy and ensure all screenings are properly recorded.
Steps Being Taken by the Government
The Punjab Health Department is working on several measures to speed up TB screening:
- Organizing regular TB awareness drives and medical camps.
- Collaborating with nursing colleges and NGOs for field visits.
- Reserving dedicated TB beds in district hospitals for complex cases.
- Setting Panchayat-level screening targets
These steps aim to make screening more efficient and bring more people under the TB Mukt Bharat Abhiyaan umbrella.
Why TB Screening Matters
- Early screening helps detect hidden infections before they become severe.
- It also reduces community transmission, prevents complications, and saves lives.
Without proper TB screening, the disease continues to spread quietly — especially among the poor, malnourished, or those living in crowded conditions.
The Road Ahead
India’s vision of becoming a TB Mukt Bharat by 2025 depends on how quickly states like Punjab can improve their performance. With stronger community awareness, better data management, and consistent field action, the state can close the gap.
Tuberculosis elimination is not just a government mission — it’s a collective effort that requires awareness, early diagnosis, and compassion.
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