The project team of Collaboration to Eliminate Tuberculosis among Indians (CETI) and Ashraya Hastha Trust in association with the DTO and NTEP Team of Mysuru districts conducted TB forum, with the objective to make the district TB-free.
Earlier TB forum meetings used to happen once or twice a year and the scope and format were limited. With the intervention by CETI, the scope of the TB Forum has increased, the format is being structured and the frequency of the TB forum meeting has been increased to once in each quarter. The first TB Forum meeting was conducted by DTO Chamarajanagar on 04th January 2023. District Mysuru conducted its first TB Forum meeting of the year on 23rd February 2023. The TB Forum Mysuru was addressed by the CEO-Zilla Panchayat Ms. Gayithri K.M and the District Health Officer of Mysuru Dr. Prasad K H. The objective of the TB Forum is to increase multi-sectoral engagement and highlight the role of all the stakeholders and members in India’s TB elimination goal by 2025. CETI is supporting Mysuru and Chamarajanagar districts in making the scope, frequency, and format of the TB Forum more efficient and action-oriented. The support of all administrative authorities and NTEP staff is being garnered to achieve this efficiency.
Field visit by the CETI Project Director Mr. Raman Arora and CETI Project Team in association with District Tuberculosis Officer and supported by Ashraya Hastha Trust at the District Tuberculosis Centre of District Chamarajanagar Dr. Ravikumar MS and Mysuru Dr. Shiraz Ahmad has lead to the progress in engagement of the TB Champions, Influencers, Taluka Health Officers and Nikshay Mitras. The Ministry of Railways, The Ministry of Labour and Employment, The Ministry of Tribal Affairs, and NGOs viz Asha Kiran, Swami Vivekananda Youth Movement have also come forward to contribute to the initiative of the TB Forum and CAP-TB Project. They have been included as a part of the TB Forum for the first time. Taluka Health Officers also attended the meeting for the first time. All the members/ attendees present in the TB forum have agreed to a virtual/in-person meeting once a month with the DTO/appointed Nodal Officer and discuss the work progress and plan ahead. The Karnataka Health Promotion Trust (KHPT) and the State Bank of India have come forward in support during the field visit to Chamarajanagar.
During the TB Forum Mysuru, the DHO Mysuru Dr. Prasad K H also agreed that TB patients can also receive the benefits of other health schemes through Ayushman Bharat Card. The Assistant Drug Controller, Mysuru Dr. S. Nagaraja has agreed to provide the H1 schedule drug data as and when required and not just monthly. Ms. Poovitha, CEO-Zilla Panchayat Chamarajanagar has praised the work done by CETI in the past few months and has acknowledged the catalyst effect that the CAP-TB project has brought to the TB elimination program.
The CAP-TB project is progressing under the guidance of the Central TB Division, Government of India. In the past, the work of the CETI has been acknowledged by the American Association of Physicians of Indian Origin (AAPI), Emory Global Health Institute (EGHI, USA), Indian Institute of Public Health-Gandhinagar (IIPH-G), and
World Health Organization (WHO).
Comprehensive Approach using PDSA to Eliminate Tuberculosis (CAP-TB) project is operated by CETI in supported by Ashraya Hastha Trust in strengthening the health system and health processes in the districts Mysuru and Chamarajanagar in Karnataka in creating best practice models for TB-free districts.
CETI (Collaboration to Eliminate Tuberculosis Among Indians) is based in Indore, Madhya Pradesh works as a catalyst and resource by empowering and aligning multiple agencies to reduce the burden of TB in India. In particular, CETI focuses on creating best practice models and then scaling them up. CETI leverages and aligns the government infrastructure, private doctors, and NGOs to their maximum potential for TB Elimination.
Ashraya Hastha Trust is a charitable foundation that advances ideas and supports organisations to promote a better, more equal world. For 20+ years, they have supported efforts to advance healthcare and education for all, preserve the environment, strengthen opportunities for livelihoods, champion animal welfare, and make philanthropy more effective to better serve historically marginalised communities. The foundation was established in 2000 by Major S. Nanjundaiah and his family, Dinesh K., Asha Dinesh, Divya Dinesh, and Deeksha Dinesh.