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With limited resources, PMC struggles to meet TB screening target
PMC racing against time to meet its tuberculosis (TB) screening target as it faces severe shortage of equipment and manpower
PUNE: Due to a severe shortage of equipment and manpower, the Pune Municipal Corporation (PMC) is racing against time to meet its tuberculosis (TB) screening target. The civic body has been assigned a target to screen over 8.52 lakh vulnerable people in the city, including the elderly, and people with morbid conditions and non-communicable diseases etc. However, it has managed to cover only 15% of its target thus far, raising concerns over the pace of the drive.
In July 2025, the PMC started screening the vulnerable population within its limits under the Pradhan Mantri TB Mukt Bharat Abhiyan (PMTBMBA). The programme aims to achieve early diagnosis and treatment, and prevent the spread of the disease. As per the guidelines, every individual must undergo a chest X-ray, which is essential for identifying suspected TB cases. In over four months, the PMC has been able to screen only 1.27 lakh vulnerable people for TB. It now has the herculean task of screening 7.24 lakh vulnerable people for the disease. However, the PMC has a limited team of only 60 people and just two portable TB X-ray machines - each capable of screening around 50 to 70 people per day. According to officials, even the two existing machines have reported frequent breakdowns during the campaign. These limitations have become a major bottleneck for the health department to achieve its target.
So much so that during the statewide review meeting on November 17, the public health department pulled up the PMC for its poor performance. The department issued directions to the PMC to improve coverage and complete at least 75% of its screening — nearly 6.39 lakh people — by the end of December.
Dr Prashant Bothe, city TB officer, PMC, confirmed that they have a limited team of only 60 people for the campaign which makes it difficult to cover such a large population. Following the meeting, it has been decided to provide additional manpower for the TB screening campaign. However, X-ray is mandatory for screening and with only two portable X-ray machines, it is difficult to achieve the coverage, Dr Bothe said.
Dr Nina Borade, PMC health chief, said that the civic body aims to achieve the maximum number of screenings in the coming days, and orders have been issued to strengthen the TB campaign. “Orders have been issued to provide additional staff for the TB campaign, which will help increase the daily number of people screened. The TB programme in the city is running successfully, and we have achieved all targets of the National TB Elimination Programme. However, there is a delay with the TB screening campaign,” she said.
Dr Borade further said, “We have given a proposal to purchase five portable X-ray machines for the campaign. The proposal is in the final stage, and once the machines are purchased, the coverage of the campaign will eventually improve.”
