Arun Jasrotia
Udhampur :DD- In an important victory over tuberculosis, a total of 67 out of 236 panchayats in Jammu and Kashmir’s Udhampur district were declared as Tuberculosis free
(TB-free) under the Prime Minister’s TB Mukt Bharat (TB-Free India) initiative. This encouraging success is a key milestone toward India’s efforts to eradicate tuberculosis entirely throughout the country.
The Udhampur district health department goes on with its committed efforts to certify the last panchayats will TB free Soon. Officials are organizing systematic awareness camps across the district to spread awareness among people about tuberculosis prevention, symptoms, and treatment among residents. Such extensive awareness camps have helped greatly in reducing TB cases in the area.
A total of 23 panchayats were declared TB-free in 2024 and 44 panchayats became TB-free in 2025, said Deputy Commissioner Saloni Rai. This is due to rigorous surveillance and monitoring, said officials, where more than 10,000 tests were carried out by health officials, out of which 105 positive cases were detected that are now undergoing proper treatment.
The government has also increased its support to TB patients by doubling the monthly nutritional support from Rs. 500 to Rs. 1,000 since November 2024. The financial support is directly credited to patients’ accounts via Direct Benefit Transfer (DBT) until they recover fully. The government also gives nutritional food baskets to provide patients with proper nourishment during their treatment.
There are 172 TB patients being treated in Udhampur district, receiving total care and attention from the health authorities. The district administration is determined to meet its objective of declaring all 236 panchayats as TB-free, playing a major role in fulfilling the national objective of eradicating tuberculosis from India.DD
