Indian Government Doubles Monthly Nutrition Support for TB Patients

7 October 2024

All household contacts of TB patients will be covered under the Pradhan Mantri TB Mukt Bharat Abhiyaan and will be eligible to receive social support from the Ni-kshay Mitra initiative.

The Union Health Ministry on Monday (October 7, 2024) doubled the monthly nutrition support under Ni-kshay Poshan Yojana (NPY) for tuberculosis (TB) patients under treatment from ₹500 to ₹1,000. Additionally, all household contacts of TB patients will be covered under the Pradhan Mantri TB Mukt Bharat Abhiyaan (PMTBMBA) and will be eligible to receive social support from the community.

Although elimination of tuberculosis is one of the sustainable development targets to be achieved by 2030 by the world, India has set the target of 2025. According to the Health Ministry, India has been engaged in TB control activities for more than 50 years, yet the disease continues to be the country’s severest health crisis. TB kills an estimated 4,80,000 Indians every year.

“In alignment with India’s commitment to accelerate the achievement of Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs) related to TB elimination, key initiatives aimed at enhancing nutrition support for TB patients and their household contacts have been brought in,’’ said the Ministry.

The Ministry has introduced Energy Dense Nutrition Supplementation (EDNS) for all patients with BMI<18.5 and has permitted the expansion of scope and coverage of Ni-kshay Mitra initiative under PMTBMBA to the family members (household contacts) of TB patients. Additionally, all TB patients will now receive nutritional support of ₹3,000 to ₹6,000 under NPY.

The enhancement of NPY support will benefit 25 lakh TB patients in a year, introduction of EDNS would cover approximately 12 lakh underweight patients (BMI less than 18.5 kg/m2 at the time of diagnosis). EDNS would be provided to all eligible patients for the first two months of their treatment.

“This move will cost the Government of India approximately an additional ₹1,040 crore to be shared between the Centre and States on a 60:40 basis,” said Union Health Minister J.P. Nadda.

In addition to TB patients, Ni-kshay Mitras will adopt the household contacts of TB patients for distribution of food baskets with a view to improve the immunity of the family members of TB patients. This would lead to a significant reduction in out-of-pocket expenses incurred by patients and their families.

“These measures are expected to aid nutritional recovery, improve response to treatment and outcomes and reduce mortality due to TB in India,” the Ministry noted.

By Bindu Shajan Perappadan

Source: The Hindu