By TIOL News Service

NEW DELHI, JAN 08, 2022: INDIAN Oil has committed to support the National TB elimination Program (NTEP) in India by providing an enabling environment through integrated and prioritised intervention with City Coordination Committees, District Health Societies, Technical support groups, etc., in each of the 75 districts of Uttar Pradesh and 23 districts in Punjab. The program's key objective will be to screen and test the entire population of UP & Punjab every year for the next three years. Once patients are notified, their treatment will continue as per the protocol of the National TB Elimination Program.

TB continues to be one of India's severest health challenges. India has a large number of 'missing' cases every year that are not detected or reported.

In 2018, Narendra Modi, Hon'ble Prime Minister of India had given a clarion call to End TB in India by 2025, five years ahead of the Sustainable Development Goal (SDG) target of 2030. The Government of India provisions a good amount of budget annually for the TB programme. However, considering its enormity, the efforts of the Government need to be supplemented by augmenting the existing resources, service delivery mechanism and infrastructure for identification of numerous missing TB patients every year. TB elimination is a national duty, and therefore additional efforts are needed to identify the TB patients for treatment. Almost the whole population need to be reached every year for symptom screening and testing of over one crore symptomatic patients is needed in the next 3.5 years, so that, complete coverage for early diagnosis can be made to cut the chain of transmission.

To fulfil the Hon'ble Prime Minister's vision, Indian Oil Corporation Limited, under the aegis of Ministry of Petroleum & Natural Gas, in collaboration with Ministry of Health & Family Welfare, is joining the "Jan Andolan" of "TB Mukt Bharat". Indian Oil, as a conscious corporate citizen, having a sizeable presence in Uttar Pradesh and Punjab has decided to play a vital role in connecting the dots of demand aggregation, supply-side strengthening, and enabling the environment.

Uttar Pradesh is the state with the largest population in India (accounting for about 20% of the population of India). In 2020, Uttar Pradesh, with a population of over 23.4 crores, had the highest share of tuberculosis notifications in India (over 20%). At the same time, it contributes to almost one-fourth of estimated missing cases in the country. Punjab caters to a large number of migrant labourers from many states and ensuring cascade of care to TB patients among migrants is a challenge.

In collaboration with the State Government, demand aggregation (identification of patients) will be supported by running information, education & communication (IEC) programs in the community and strengthening ASHA, ANM & AWW workers in the state by incentivising them for accurate screening of population. Supply-side strengthening (strengthening infrastructure) will be done through creating more facilities for testing by providing machines at block level & medicine delivery mechanism through Mobile Vans, etc.

As part of its core value of care, IndianOil has always been committed to serve the people of India. From providing liquid medical oxygen in the second surge of the pandemic, ensuring vaccination of lakhs of its channel partners and ensuring uninterrupted supply lines of vital petroleum products during the pandemic, 'Pehle India Phir Oil' has always been IndianOil's guiding mantra.