The Call to Action for a TB-Free India, a country-wide campaign calling for innovative policies for tuberculosis (TB) control and new strategies to raise awareness and domestic resources to end TB in India, continued to garner support and momentum this summer, bringing commitment from two important groups central to the fight against TB: academics and Members of Parliament (MPs).
Two consultations highlighted the urgency of the TB situation in India and emphasised the need for all groups – government, corporations, healthcare workers, academics and researchers, students and activists, public health officials, and others – to unify efforts to bring an end to TB.
The first event reached out to chairs of universities and research institutions to discuss not only the obvious role of research and development in TB, but also the larger role these institutions play in encouraging new research, rolling out TB prevention and care interventions on and around campus, and integrating TB in the curriculum. . Leaders and representatives spoke about how to better involve students of all disciplines in programming, development, research, and other interventions necessary to improving access to TB care, patient outreach and case-finding.
“TB is not just a medical problem. It has serious social ramifications: families are broken, children are forced into work, and TB patients – especially women and girls – face stigma”, said Rajkumar S Badole, Honourable Minister of the Department of Social Justice and Special Assistance, in his opening address which illustrated opportunities for social science research and a more multi-sectorial approach to TB.
The academics in attendance pledged their support and suggested various ways to engage with the National TB Programme and better inform their students about the opportunities to make an impact on society through a career in TB.
The second event brought together parliamentarians from 13 states for the second meeting of parliamentarians, where MPs committed to work towards a unified political response to TB in India. MPs heard an update about the state of TB in India from the Ministry of Health, and testimony from a TB survivor, who urged the politicians to push for research into better diagnostics and treatment, shorter regimens and vaccines to prevent TB.
The Call to Action for a TB-Free India called on MPs to raise the issue of TB within their constituencies and to drive political, administrative and technical solutions to address barriers to TB prevention and care.
Both consultations were supported by The Union South-East Asia Office, in partnership with the Central TB Division and the Ministry of Health and Family Welfare. The North Maharashtra University supported the meeting of academics and researchers and the Indian Association of Parliamentarians on Population and Development partnered with The Union at the parliamentarian meeting.
TB-Free India is funded by Challenge TB, the flagship TB control programme of the US Agency for International Development (USAID). The campaign is led by the Government of India and is implemented by The Union South-East Asia Office in New Delhi.