Pune civic body to provide food baskets to TB patients from March 24
As per a recently published Lancet Global Health paper, at least half a million deaths could be prevented between 2023 and 2035 if 80% of the adults in TB-affected households were provided with food baskets and supplements
The Pune Municipal Corporation (PMC) will start providing food baskets from March 24, World TB Day, for supplementary nutritional support to patients, said officials.
As per a recently published Lancet Global Health paper, at least half a million deaths could be prevented between 2023 and 2035 if 80% of the adults in TB-affected households were provided with food baskets and supplements.
The civic body has made budget allocation of ₹1crore for these nutritional support programme under which the food baskets will be provided.
“There are as many as 5,000 active TB patients in the city. Since its inception in 2022, PMC has provided food baskets to 7,500 TB patients, with the help of financial aid from private non-government organisations (NGOs) and corporate social responsibility (CSR) activities of companies,” said Dr Prashant Bothe, city TB officer, PMC.
Dr Bothe further informed that household contacts at high risk of developing TB may also be prescribed preventive anti-TB medications.
“The food basket with rice, lentils and multivitamins is likely to provide comparable protection. Each beneficiary patient gets around 5kg rice, 1.5kg milk powder, 3kg roasted chickpea flour, 500ml oil, and multivitamins per month,” he said.
Furthermore, under the Nikshay Poshan Yojana, each TB patient receives ₹1,000 per month during the TB treatment period. The incentive has been increased from ₹500 to ₹1,000 monthly from November 2024 onwards.
Around 5,214 (61%) TB patients for the year 2024 received the benefits through Direct Benefit Transfer (DBT) in their bank accounts, said the officials.