State PCS - JAMMU & KASHMIR (JKAS)

• 11 Sep 2025

TB Mukt Bharat Abhiyan

Why in News?

The Deputy Commissioner (DC) of Srinagar chaired a review meeting to assess the progress of the TB Mukt Bharat Abhiyan in the district. 

• The meeting focused on key areas, including TB notification rates, early detection, treatment adherence, and the Ni-Kshay Mitra initiative aimed at enhancing patient support.
• The focus was on intensified screening in high-risk areas and community engagement through ASHA workers, conducting home visits to provide crucial at-home care for better TB recovery outcomes.

Ni-Kshay Mitra Scheme

• About: The "Ni-kshay Mitra" scheme, launched under the Pradhan Mantri TB Mukt Bharat Abhiyan (PMTBMBA) in 2018 by the Prime Minister, aims to offer comprehensive support to TB patients throughout their treatment journey.
  • Launched in 2022 as part of the National TB Elimination Programme (NTEP), PMTBMBA focuses on providing nutritional, diagnostic, and vocational support to improve treatment outcomes and accelerate India's TB elimination goal. 
  • PMTBMBA is the world’s largest crowd-sourcing initiative for TB patient nutrition. 
• Implementation: Support for TB patients is extended by various stakeholders, including elected representatives, corporates, organizations, NGOs, and individuals, helping them achieve a successful recovery.
• Portal: The Ni-Kshay Portal helps health workers manage TB cases, track treatment, and report real-time data for India's TB surveillance.

National TB Elimination Programme (NTEP) 

• In 2020, the Revised National Tuberculosis Control Program (RNTCP) was renamed the NTEP, with the aim of eliminating tuberculosis in India by 2025, five years ahead of the global target set for 2030.
  • The Sustainable Development Goal targets for TB include an 80% reduction in incidence, a 90% reduction in mortality, and zero TB patients facing catastrophic costs. 
  • The program is guided by the National Strategic Plan (2017-2025) under the strategic pillars: Detect – Treat – Prevent – Build (DTPB). 
  • The NTEP focuses on early diagnosis, quality-assured treatment, engaging private providers, contact tracing in high-risk areas, and addressing social determinants through a multi-sectoral approach. 
  • The programme recorded its highest-ever case notifications, reporting 25.5 lakh TB cases in 2023 and 26.07 lakh cases in 2024. 
  • Under NTEP, India introduced improved drug-resistant TB treatments, including a safer, shorter all-oral Bedaquiline regimen, increasing success rates from 68% in 2020 to 75% in 2022.  
    • The mBPaL regimen (Bedaquiline, Pretomanid, Linezolid) offers 80% success for MDR-TB, reducing treatment duration to six months.