Kalahandi: The first event of ‘District-level Consultative Workshop on TB-Free Block Initiative’was held under the Chairmanship of the District Collector, Mr Anjan Kumar Manik, I.A.S, in the presence of TB survivors from the Kalahandi block, Sarpanch representatives from various villages, chairpersons of Rogi Kalyan Samitis and members of the State TB Cell, including the STO- Dr Hota, Joint Director TB- Dr Sushant Swain, RNTCP consultant- Dr Lakshmidhar Pradhan on July 17, 2018. The workshop marked the beginning of the TB-Free Block activities in Odisha following initial discussions at a state-level meeting on TB-Free Blocks held in Bhubaneshwar in June this year. The meeting today brought together several key stakeholders to kick start the TB-Free Block Initiative as part of the state RNTCP’s efforts towards TB elimination.
The TB-Free Block Initiative in Kalahandi is in line with the Central TB Division’s vision and the State’s proactive initiative to identify two key blocks in every district, which can be made TB- Free in the coming year. Today’s meeting reaffirmed district Kalahandi’s commitment to accelerate innovations, convergence and efforts to End TB.
Kalahandi, in its first steps towards TB elimination, has identified two blocks -Karlamunda, Kalampur, Junagarh and Golamunda. Different aspects of TB elimination in these blocks will be prioritised as part of this TB-Free Block mission. The government’s efforts will include amplified Active Case Finding to ensure screenings and diagnosis, engagement of the community, including Panchayati Raj members, TB Survivors and other key units such as the GKSs.
At the event, TB Survivors, PRI members and key stakeholders present discussed the next steps and strategies for the block’s TB-Free vision. The key decisions adopted by mutual consent at the meeting include the formation of a District TB Forum, formation of a network of Survivors as part of community engagement and proactive involvement of PRI members for TB.
The meeting in Bhawanipatna was organised with support from the Resource Group for Advocacy and Education for Community Health (REACH) as part of the Tuberculosis Call to Action project supported by USAID.
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