Village-level screenings intensified to identify tuberculosis at early stage, Telangana health minister informs Centre

Hyderabad: To eliminate tuberculosis (TB), the Telangana govt is conducting health screening camps in more than 2,492 villages across the state. This was highlighted by health minister Damodar Raja Narasimha during a review meeting convened by Union health minister JP Nadda.During the meeting, Nadda directed all state govts to ensure that every suspected TB patient undergoes timely diagnostic tests, including chest X-rays and sputum examinations, to enable early detection and treatment of the disease.Addressing the review, Narasimha said that Telangana has intensified village-level screening drives to identify TB cases at an early stage and reiterated its commitment to making Telangana TB-free.

He noted that the screenings are helping health authorities reach vulnerable populations in rural areas and improve access to diagnosis and treatment.The minister also informed the Union health minister about the implementation of the Nikshay Poshan Yojana, under which TB patients receive ₹1,000 per month to meet their nutritional needs in addition to medical treatment. “We are also providing food baskets to patients to support recovery through adequate nutrition,” he added.

The minister further briefed the Centre on measures being taken to reduce maternal and neonatal mortality under various healthcare programmes. He added that Rashtriya Bal Swasthya Karyakram (RBSK) teams are conducting health screenings for children aged up to 18 years across the state.