Tarun Karthick
Sri Vijaya Puram, 29 November 2025
Admiral D.K. Joshi, PVSM, AVSM, YSM, NM, VSM (Retd.), Lieutenant Governor of the Andaman and Nicobar Islands and Vice Chairman of the Islands Development Agency, chaired a high-level review meeting at Raj Niwas on Friday to assess the implementation and progress of the TB Mukt Bharat Abhiyaan across the Union Territory.
The meeting was attended by the Chief Secretary, senior officials of the Health Department, Deputy Commissioners of all three districts — with officers from North & Middle Andaman and Nicobar participating virtually — along with Assistant Commissioners, the Director of Health Services, the State TB Officer, District TB Officers, and the Microbiologist of the Intermediate Reference Laboratory.
During the meeting, the State TB Officer presented a detailed overview of the implementation of the programme since July 2025. The presentation covered trends in presumptive TB testing, case notification, patient monitoring, district-level strategies, community engagement initiatives, and support extended through Nikshay Mitras. Updates on Information, Education and Communication (IEC) initiatives, TB Mukt Panchayat progress, and compliance with directives from earlier review meetings were also shared.
Several new initiatives under the Abhiyaan were highlighted, including the launch of monthly Nikshay Clinics, additional nutritional support for malnourished TB patients in Nicobar District, one-year support from the State Bank of India for 50 TB-affected families, and community-led Nikshay Shivir awareness drives. It was also informed that the Andaman and Nicobar Islands has become the first State/UT in the country to achieve the Ministry of Health and Family Welfare’s target for screening and coverage of vulnerable populations under the campaign.
The Lt. Governor commended the Health Department and District Administration for their efforts and urged continued strengthening of institutional mechanisms, community partnerships, and adoption of innovative practices to accelerate the goal of eliminating TB from the Islands.
The review concluded with directions to intensify outreach, improve inter-departmental coordination, and ensure timely support to all TB patients across the archipelago.
