Gurugram : Deputy Commissioner Ajay Kumar on Tuesday emphasized that a healthy population is the cornerstone of a nation’s development, urging collective efforts to eliminate tuberculosis. He was addressing health officials and Panchayati Raj representatives at a district-level programme held at the Mini Secretariat on the occasion of World Tuberculosis Day.
Highlighting the seriousness of tuberculosis, he noted that the United Nations has set a global target to eliminate TB by 2030. Referring to the call given by Narendra Modi for a ‘TB-Free India’, he said that just as Panchayats have contributed to major national initiatives like Beti Bachao Beti Padhao and Swachh Bharat, their active participation is equally crucial in this campaign.
The DC stressed that public involvement is essential for the success of any social initiative and called upon all Panchayats in the district to play an active role. He informed that several schemes such as ‘TB-Free Panchayat’ and ‘Nikshay Mitra’ are being implemented to strengthen the fight against tuberculosis, adding that support through Corporate Social Responsibility (CSR) initiatives will also be enhanced for better patient care. Earlier, he flagged off awareness vehicles from the Mini Secretariat to spread information about TB prevention and honored high-performing Panchayats with Gold, Silver, and Bronze certificates.
Speaking on the occasion, Civil Surgeon Dr. Lokvir said that tuberculosis is completely curable if treated on time and proper precautions are followed to prevent its spread. He highlighted that Turkapur village in Pataudi block has reported zero TB cases for the past three years and was awarded a Gold Certificate. Similarly, 24 Panchayats with no cases in the last two years received Silver certificates, while 71 Panchayats with no cases in the past year were awarded Bronze certificates. An oath to spread awareness about TB was also administered during the event.
Deputy Civil Surgeon and Nodal Officer Dr. Yogendra Singh informed that Gurugram currently has 6,328 TB patients, including both drug-sensitive and drug-resistant cases. He also presented details of ongoing efforts under the National Tuberculosis Elimination Program through a presentation.
Other officials present included Dr. Ranjana, Dr. Pradeep Kumar, DPM Poonam, DPC Manisha, along with Sarpanches and representatives from various Panchayats across the district.