Health Minister Nadda meets Rajasthan MPs, seeks leadership for district-level action against TB

New Delhi, Dec 8 (PTI) Union Health Minister J P Nadda on Monday met MPs from Rajasthan as part of an outreach drive to deepen political engagement for a "TB Mukt Bharat", on the sidelines of the ongoing Winter Session of Parliament.

The meeting was part of a series of briefings with parliamentarians from different states aimed at strengthening collective leadership in India's fight against tuberculosis.

The minister urged MPs to lead from the front in strengthening district-level action, supporting Ni-kshay Mitras and mobilising communities to eliminate stigma and ensure timely diagnosis and care.

"The TB Mukt Bharat initiative exemplifies how political will and public participation can come together to end an age-old public health challenge," he said.

Union Minister of State for Agriculture and Farmers' Welfare Bhagirath Choudhary and Union Minister of State for Railways and Food Processing Industries Ravneet Singh Bittu, along with MPs from both Houses representing Rajasthan, attended the session held at the Parliament House Annexe Extension.

The deliberations highlighted the central role of elected representatives in accelerating India's progress towards eliminating TB, a disease that continues to affect millions worldwide, the health ministry said in a statement.

Commending the leadership and participation of Rajasthan MPs, Nadda lauded the state's progress in expanding access to TB screening and treatment, while stressing the need for continued vigilance to address the challenge of asymptomatic cases.

He noted that India's TB incidence has declined by 21 per cent between 2015 and 2024 -- nearly twice the global rate -- and that the country now records a 90 per cent treatment success rate, as reported in the WHO Global TB Report 2025.

The MPs resolved to expand local awareness campaigns, organise Ni-kshay Shivirs for early detection and ensure routine oversight of TB interventions in their constituencies, the statement said.

They reiterated their commitment to promoting community-led initiatives that provide nutritional, psychosocial and livelihood support to people affected by TB, it added. PTI PLB PRK PRK