New Delhi(Kalinga Voice) : Today, a Sensitization Programme for the Members of Parliament on Tuberculosis was organized in Parliament House Complex. Vice President of India and Chairman, Rajya Sabha, Shri M. Venkaiah Naidu presided over the programme. Lok Sabha Speaker Shri Om Birla; Union Minister of Health and Family Welfare, Shri Mansukh Mandaviya; Minister of State, Ministry of Health and Family Welfare, Dr. Bharati P. Pawar and Members of Parliament participated in the Sensitization programme.
Speaking on this occasion, Shri Birla said that time has come for collective action to eradicate Tuberculosis from India by 2025 i.e. five years before the Sustainable Development Goals set by the United Nations. Public awareness is the most effective intervention to fight diseases like Tuberculosis in a developing country like India, said Shri Birla.
Emphasizing on the strength of India’s collective power, Shri Birla said that if together we can successfully fight the Covid-19, we can easily eradicate Tuberculosis from our country. Despite the challenges, widespread campaigns led to a reduction in the rate of infection and deaths due to the disease over the years and now India is well on its way towards eradication of TB in the near future. The experiences gained from our fight against COVID can be used to eradicate TB, said Shri Birla.
Speaking on the role of public representatives, the Lok Sabha Speaker said that Members of Parliament are not individuals but institutions. They have huge mandate and responsibilities. Representatives from Panchayat to Parliament should make TB eradication programme a people’s movement to make it a huge success. It should be the endeavour of every public representative to make their Constituency TB free through tracing, treatment, support and monitoring. Public representatives should also work with the stakeholders of society in the direction of removing stigma associated with the disease. They should also work towards a poverty and malnutrition free India, said Shri Birla.
Shri M. Venakaiah Naidu, Vice President and Chairman, Rajya Sabha emphasized on the need for collective efforts from all stakeholders to achieve the target of a TB free India by 2025. Shri Naidu observed that India, over the period of time, has achieved significant progress since Independence on various health indicators. The average life expectancy has increased to 69.4 years which was 35 years in 1950. He underlined that India has thus made great progress in various aspects, and TB is one of the unfinished items on the agenda and we must collectively strive to eliminate it.
Earlier, speaking on this occasion, Union Minister for Health and Family Welfare Shri Mansukh Mandaviya said that Health and Development are intrinsically linked. The Minister reiterated the commitment of India to eradicate Tuberculosis by 2025. Shri Mansukh Mandaviya appealed all stakeholders: people’s representatives, the public and the media to come together to create mass awareness in the direction of its eradication.
Minister of State, Ministry of Health and Family Welfare, Dr. Bharati P. Pawar focused on the need for proper treatment and prevention of TB and a participatory approach for its complete eradication from India.
Sh. Rajesh Bhushan Secretary, Ministry of Health & Family Welfare and Smt. Arti Ahuja Addl. Secretary, Ministry of Health & Family Welfare also spoke on this occasion.
The delegates took pledge to support India’s fight against TB and for promoting awareness on TB among the people.
Shri Utpal Kumar Singh, Secretary – General, Lok Sabha delivered the Welcome Address.
The Sensitisation Programme was organized by Parliamentary Research and Training Institute for Democracies (PRIDE), Lok Sabha Secretariat in coordination with the Ministry of Health and Family Welfare.
