1,748 gram panchayats in UP claim to be TB-free

Across various districts in the state, including Ambedkar Nagar, Barabanki, Kushinagar, Unnao, Mathura, and Lucknow, numerous panchayats have stepped forward to claim TB-free status, said the press statement.

Out of the 57,647 gram panchayats in Uttar Pradesh, 1,748 have claimed to have achieved Tuberculosis-free status. The health department will verify the claims and the villages will be honoured with a certificate, said a statement from the state government on Saturday.

1,748 gram panchayats in UP claim to be TB-free (Pic for representation)

Across various districts in the state, including Ambedkar Nagar, Barabanki, Kushinagar, Unnao, Mathura, and Lucknow, numerous panchayats have stepped forward to claim TB-free status, said the press statement.

Dr Shailendra Bhatnagar, joint director, state tuberculosis control programme officer, said only after stringent verification process based on diverse parameters, the deserving panchayats would be given the TB-free certification by February 20.

He said various activities aimed at promoting TB awareness and prevention had been incorporated into the panchayat development plans (PDP). Communities had been thoroughly briefed on TB symptoms, prevention measures, debunking misconceptions, treatment adherence, available screening facilities, and the government’s support system for TB patients, he added.

Block development officers were actively facilitating the verification process by submitting the requisite documentation for eligible gram panchayats at the block level to the district tuberculosis officer, said the press statement.