In a significant move to accelerate the elimination of tuberculosis (TB) and advance progress toward Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs), India’s Union Minister of Health and Family Welfare, Shri J.P. Nadda, has announced key initiatives to enhance nutrition support for TB patients and their families. These initiatives, part of the government’s larger TB elimination program, aim to improve patient health, reduce out-of-pocket expenses, and bolster treatment outcomes.
At the center of these efforts is the Ni-Kshay Poshan Yojana (NPY), a government program that provides financial support for the nutritional needs of TB patients. Shri Nadda announced an increase in the monthly nutrition support under the scheme, doubling the amount from ₹500 to ₹1,000 per patient per month for the entire duration of treatment. This enhanced support reflects the government’s commitment to ensuring that TB patients receive adequate nutrition, which is critical for recovery and improving the efficacy of treatment.
In addition to the increased financial support, the government has introduced Energy Dense Nutritional Supplementation (EDNS) for underweight patients with a Body Mass Index (BMI) of less than 18.5 kg/m² at the time of diagnosis. Approximately 12 lakh TB patients are expected to benefit from this initiative, which provides EDNS for the first two months of their treatment. The introduction of EDNS is aimed at addressing the higher nutritional needs of these vulnerable patients, who are at greater risk of complications due to malnutrition.
Shri Nadda emphasized that these new measures will significantly enhance the government’s capacity to provide holistic care to TB patients. The enhanced Ni-Kshay Poshan Yojana (NPY) support, combined with EDNS, is expected to benefit approximately 25 lakh TB patients annually. The financial impact of this move is projected to cost an additional ₹1,040 crores, to be shared between the central government and the states on a 60:40 basis.
Another major development is the expansion of the Ni-Kshay Mitra initiative, part of the Pradhan Mantri TB Mukt Bharat Abhiyaan (PMTBMBA), which will now include the household contacts of TB patients. Under this initiative, Ni-Kshay Mitras—volunteers or organizations that adopt TB patients to provide nutritional and other forms of support—will also provide food baskets to the family members of TB patients. This step is intended to strengthen the immunity of family members, many of whom are at higher risk of contracting the disease due to their close proximity to the patient.
The extension of support to family members also aims to reduce the financial burden on TB patients and their households. By addressing both the nutritional needs of patients and their families, the government hopes to mitigate out-of-pocket expenses (OOPE) and improve overall health outcomes for those affected by TB.
To date, the Ni-Kshay Poshan Yojana has disbursed ₹3,202 crores to over 1.13 crore beneficiaries through Direct Benefit Transfer (DBT). The Union Health Minister highlighted the significant impact of this support in aiding the recovery of TB patients and improving treatment outcomes. The financial support provided under the scheme has played a critical role in reducing the economic burden on patients and their families, ensuring that they can access the necessary nutrition to recover effectively.
These initiatives reflect India’s comprehensive approach to tackling tuberculosis, addressing not only the medical treatment but also the nutritional needs of patients and their families. By improving access to nutritional support, the government hopes to enhance the immune response of patients, reduce mortality, and achieve its goal of eliminating TB in the coming years.
The Union Health Ministry remains committed to providing robust support for TB patients through these enhanced measures, which are expected to bring significant improvements in patient recovery rates and contribute to India’s broader public health goals.
(Input from various sources)
(Rehash/Ankur Deka/MSM)
