Bhubaneswar: In the concept of Healthy Villages envisaged for achieving Sustainable Development Goals in Panchayati Raj Institutions (PRIs), the State Government has asked all Collectors to take initiatives to make Panchayats free of tuberculosis (TB) disease.
For this purpose, Health and Family Welfare Secretary Shalini Pandit and Principal Secretary Panchayati Raj and Drinking Water Sushil Kumar Lohani have jointly written a letter along with major steps envisaged to declare ‘TB Mukt Panchayat’ to all Collectors today.
The health functionaries at the village and sub-centre/health & wellness centre (HWC) levels, along with the support of Gram Panchayats, are making substantial efforts for ending TB in India. However, these efforts need to be measured and validated in an endeavour to declare the Panchayats as TB Mukt. ‘TB Mukt Panchayat’ is an initiative in this direction, they said.
The objective of ‘TB Mukt Panchayat’ is to empower the Panchayati Raj Institutions to realize the extent and magnitude of problems associated with TB, take necessary actions towards solving them, create healthy competition amongst Panchayats and to appreciate their contribution.
“The District Health Authority needs to coordinate and facilitate the activities with Panchayati Raj Institutions to achieve the goal of TB Mukt Panchayat,” read the letter.
The two Secretaries have asked the Collectors to convey the meeting of District Panchayats at District level for all Block Panchayats where District Tuberculosis Officer (DTO) and District Panchayati Raj Officer (DPRO) jointly address the meeting on TB Mukt Panchayat initiative.
Similarly, meeting of all GPs will be conducted at block level where District Tuberculosis Officer or his representative and District Panchayati Raj Officer or his representative will address. The GPs are to be prepared on TB Mukt Panchayat Status in coordination with District TB cell, they said.
As per the action plan, a community awareness campaign on various aspects of TB such as symptoms of TB, diagnostic health facilities available, treatment adherence, prevention, stigma reduction and various benefits provided by the Government for TB patients will be conducted at least twice in a year. TB free activities will be included in Panchayat Development Plans (PDP) while World TB Day will be observed at village level.
After taking all measures to make the Panchayat free from TB, a team consisting of Gram Pradhan, Panchayat members, VHSNC members, CHO, ANM, and block health official assesses the claim of a Gram Panchayat on the basis of prerequisites in first half of January every year.
All the claims submitted by GP will be verified by the District TB team consisting of a State Tuberculosis Officer or his representative, Chief Medical Officer, District Tuberculosis officer, Representative from District Panchayat and from Indian/State Medical Association & Medical colleges.
The verified list of Gram Panchayats who are eligible for TB Mukt certification will be submitted by the District verification team to the District Magistrate/District Collector.
A Gram Panchayat (GP) will be declared ‘TB Mukt’ if it fulfills the criteria enlisted under verified indicators in the revenue villages of Gram Panchayats. Certificates will be issued to eligible Gram Panchayats with One Year validity from the District Magistrate/District Collector on World TB Day i.e. 24th March every year.
