NEW DELHI, Mar 23:
President Pranab Mukherjee today said India’s vision was to provide ‘Universal Access to Quality Diagnosis and Treatment’ over the next five years to all, regardless of their economic or social status, but expressed concern that India continued to have the highest burden of Tuberculosis in the world.
In his message on the occasion of World Tuberculosis Day, which is observed every year on March 24, the President said one of the greatest challenges facing TB control was detection and management of drug resistant strains of TB.
Such challenges highlighted the need for strengthening research and development to urgently introduce new diagnostics, drugs and vaccines, he said.
“…It is worrisome that India continues to have the highest burden of TB in the world,” he said and added that India has and would continue to lead the fight against TB.
Commending the work done by various stakeholders led by the National TB Programme, Mr Mukherjee said since 1998, due to the successful implementation of the DOTS strategy, more than 14.2 million people across India had accessed treatment.
Last year, the government introduced ground-breaking policies, including a ban on the use of inaccurate blood tests for TB and declared TB a notifiable disease.
“India’s vision is to provide ‘Universal Access to Quality Diagnosis and Treatment’ over the next five years to all, regardless of their economic or social status,” he added.
He called upon all stakeholders to come together for the fight against TB and undertake all necessary steps to achieve the goal of zero TB deaths. (UNI)
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