SRINAGAR: Anantnag and Pulwama districts have achieved tuberculosis-free status under India’s sub-national certification program for TB elimination, officials said here on Tuesday.
Dr Adfar Qadri, the State Tuberculosis Officer, informed the news agency KNO that Anantnag and Pulwama districts have been declared tuberculosis-free, adding two more districts to the list.
She announced that Srinagar was awarded the gold medal, while the Union Territory received the bronze, and the majority of other districts have maintained their current status. Additionally, she proudly stated that the region now has three districts with TB three status, with Budgam having achieved this status in 2021.
“Kashmir received three gold medals last year, and now we have achieved an even higher level of success with the declaration of Pulwama and Anantnag as tuberculosis-free.” She added.
“TB incidence is declining in Kashmir. We will achieve TB elimination by 2025 as we are doing intensified and active case finding and case screening,” she said.
Notably, there are 4 categories of recognition in achievement of reduction of case targets, the top spot being TB-free status meaning 80% reduction.
The other categories include gold medal category (over 60% reduction), silver medal category (over 40% reduction) and bronze medal category (over 20% reduction).
Budgam was the first district to be declared TB free. Sub-national certification is an initiative to mark the progress of districts, states and UTs towards TB free status, which was initiated in 2020 to achieve the target of TB free India by 2025. (KNO)
