SRINAGAR: Jammu and Kashmir has secured the second position among States and Union Territories under Phase-II of the national 100-Day TB Mukt Bharat Campaign, with Chief Secretary Atal Dulloo on Tuesday directing health authorities to intensify efforts in districts lagging behind on key tuberculosis control indicators to accelerate progress towards the elimination of the disease.
Chairing a high-level review meeting of the Pradhan Mantri TB Mukt Bharat Abhiyan, Dulloo assessed district-wise performance and instructed the Health and Medical Education Department to strengthen screening, preventive treatment, nutritional support and differentiated care in areas reporting lower coverage. He stressed the need for saturation screening in all identified high-risk villages and called for wider deployment of hand-held X-ray units in remote and vulnerable regions.
The Chief Secretary directed district administrations and health officials to substantially increase the number of Nikshay Shivirs and ensure complete coverage of notified high-risk villages within prescribed timelines. He also ordered a special drive to clear pending beneficiary authentication cases under the Nikshay Poshan Yojana and ensure timely release of financial assistance to eligible patients.
During the review, officials informed the meeting that more than 2.45 lakh vulnerable individuals have been screened under the ongoing campaign, while 70 per cent of the enrolled vulnerable population has undergone X-ray screening, exceeding the national benchmark. Jammu and Kashmir has also achieved 90 per cent utilisation of NAAT-based molecular diagnostic testing for faster tuberculosis detection.
The meeting was told that 4,472 TB cases were notified across the Union Territory during the first five months of 2026, accounting for nearly 40 per cent of the annual target. More than 2.52 lakh presumptive TB tests have been conducted so far this year.
Officials further reported that over 2,100 TB patients have received Poshan Kits through community support initiatives, while the number of registered Nikshay Mitras has crossed 13,100. Around 1,504 TB patients have been assessed under Differentiated TB Care for personalised treatment and support.
Significant improvement was also recorded in TB Preventive Treatment coverage, which increased from 7 per cent during Phase-I to 34 per cent in Phase-II, reflecting greater protection for household contacts and other high-risk groups.
Dulloo emphasised greater use of digital platforms, including the recently launched TB Mukt Bharat App and Khushi Chatbot, directing doctors and field staff to ensure registration and active utilisation by every notified TB patient to improve treatment adherence and counselling.
Commissioner Secretary, Health and Medical Education, M Raju, presented a detailed overview of the programme’s achievements and challenges, while Mission Director, National Health Mission, Akriti Sagar, highlighted the Union Territory’s strong performance across screening, diagnosis, notification and community participation indicators.
Calling for a whole-of-government and whole-of-society approach, the Chief Secretary urged all departments, district administrations, civil society organisations and volunteers to contribute actively towards making Jammu and Kashmir tuberculosis-free.
