TB news from India

The Wire: Nutrition support emerges as key component of India's TB elimination plan
A recent report published by the Union government has explained in detail various state-led initiatives on TB elimination in India. According to the report, providing adequate nutrition support to patients is acknowledged as a key component of India’s ambitious plan to eliminate TB.

-- See also:

• The Hindu BusinessLine: TB patients must get nutritional supplement along with cash: Govt

The Centre, in its latest report, has recommended that the cash support should be supplemented by food provision to patients.

• Mid-day.com: Mumbai: Rs 500 per month from central govt not enough to fight TB

TB survivor Keyuri Bhanushali appealed to the government via Twitter and letters, for adequate nutritional support to deprived patients. Recently, the government increased the direct benefit transfer amount for people living with HIV from R500 to R2,000. She urged the government to give similar treatment to TB patients.

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Hindustan Times: Financial reward system initiated to encourage private stakeholders to report TB cases
As per the 2018 national data released by a central TB division (CTD) source, 17 lakh cases have been notified till November 21, and the figure shared by private practitioners is only 4,23,762. The poor response from private doctors to report TB notification has left the health authorities to start drives with monetary benefit and issue warning letters.

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The New Indian Express: TB patients may soon get paid leave during most infectious period
People diagnosed with TB may soon get paid leave for the period when their infection is the most severe and the risk of spreading it to others is the highest.