Health Ministry Chairs High-Level Meeting to Strengthen TB Elimination Campaign
Union Health Minister Shri Jagat Prakash Nadda chaired a high-level inter-ministerial meeting on July 7, 2026, with the Union Minister of Youth Affairs & Sports, Labour & Employment Dr. Mansukh Mandaviya, and Union Minister of State for Defence Shri Sanjay Seth to accelerate implementation of the TB Mukt Bharat Abhiyaan through a whole-of-government approach. The meeting focused on strengthening convergence between ministries to expand tuberculosis prevention, early detection, treatment adherence, nutritional support, and community participation.
Minister Nadda highlighted Prime Minister Narendra Modi's recent directive from the PRAGATI review meeting to harness India's youth power to transform the TB elimination campaign into a nationwide people's movement. He emphasized that achieving TB elimination requires every ministry, institution, and stakeholder contributing through their respective strengths and outreach networks.
Campaign Achievements and Metrics
Since its launch in December 2024, the TB Mukt Bharat Abhiyaan has screened more than 28 crore vulnerable individuals across the country, leading to the notification of over 39 lakh TB patients. Notably, 12.93 lakh asymptomatic TB patients were identified through active screening using chest X-rays, enabling early diagnosis of individuals who would otherwise have remained undetected. The campaign has registered more than 5.7 lakh Ni-kshay Mitras who have distributed 38.9 lakh nutrition baskets to TB patients, while over 20 lakh patients have received individualized support under the programme's differentiated care approach.
Ministry-Specific Action Plans
The Health Minister urged the Ministry of Youth Affairs and Sports to scale up engagement of MY Bharat volunteers and National Cadet Corps (NCC) cadets, building on the existing TB Mukt Bharat Toli model. This includes expanding volunteer-led mobilization for screening camps, strengthening the Experiential Learning Programme that trains volunteers as Lead Ni-kshay Mitras, and deepening youth-led awareness efforts in educational institutions and communities.
From the Ministry of Defence, the Minister sought expanded support from NCC cadets and defence personnel in community awareness rallies, mobilization for screening camps, household contact education, and nutrition support drives. He also requested integration of TB awareness into existing NCC training camps, Republic Day and Independence Day activities, adventure camps, and rural outreach programmes.
Minister Mandaviya suggested stronger institutional convergence, noting that India has nearly 6 lakh undergraduate and 2 lakh postgraduate medical students who could be engaged through medical colleges. He proposed engaging officers from the Pratibha Setu programme (approximately 600 officers) as coordinators in District TB Coordination Committees to ensure better planning and monitoring at the district level. Mandaviya also emphasized involving the Ministry of Education to strengthen coordination with educational institutions and youth networks.
Workplace and Sector-Specific Interventions
The meeting focused on developing a TB-free workplace framework by integrating TB screening into occupational health practices, particularly in high-risk sectors including mining, construction, textiles, transport, and among migrant workers. Discussions emphasized mobilizing employers, trade unions, and labour welfare institutions such as the Employees' State Insurance Corporation (ESIC) and the Directorate General Factory Advice Service and Labour Institutes (DGFASLI) to facilitate workplace screening, ensure treatment continuity, and promote supportive measures for workers undergoing TB treatment.
Senior officials from all participating ministries attended the meeting, including Smt. Punya Salila Srivastava (Secretary, Health), Dr. Pallavi Jain Govil (Secretary, Department of Youth Affairs), Shri Hari Ranjan Rao (Secretary, Department of Sports), Smt. Aradhana Patnaik (AS & MD, NHM), Vice Admiral Arti Sarin (DG, Armed Force Medical College), and Dr. Priyanka Shukla (CEO, MY Bharat).