More than 88,000 TB Patients notified between 2015-17

New Delhi: World Vision India hosted a Project Axshya’s Tuberculosis Consortium Partner’s Meet at New Delhi recently. During the event the partners shared key project achievements, promising practices and emphasized the role of civil society organizations in the path towards TB elimination, recognizing the accelerated response of the government for TB diagnosis and treatment across the country. The project led by World Vision India, comes to a close on March 31st.

The meet also had a panel discussion on ‘The Role of Civil Society towards TB Elimination in India- Highlights of Axshya TB Project’. The panelists included, Dr. Venkatesh Roddawar, Central TB Division (CTD) representative, Dr Ashwini Khanna, State TB officer, Delhi; MA Wohab, CEO, Southern Health Improvement Samity (SHIS); Ravi Subbiah, Technical Director, CARE; Dr Reeti Tiwari, Project Director, Axshya, Alan Fletcher (ADRA) and Dr Anita Victor, Director-Health, World Vision India.

Dr Ashwini Khanna, State TB officer, highlighted ‘The Government of India has taken up the challenge to end TB in the country by 2025. The soldiers in the fight are fully geared to eliminate the dreaded diseases. Last year we got eighteen lakh patients in a year. As of WHO 2.8 million patients were reported last year.’

The current Axshya project consortium led by World Vision India has its roots in National TB Consortium started in 2007 with a vision of a “TB Free India”. The implementing partners include Adventist Development and Relief Agency (ADRA)India, CARE India, German Leprosy Relief Agency (GLRA) India, LEPRA Society, Southern Health Improvement Samity (SHIS) and TB Alert India. Together, NTC undertook many initiatives for TB care and control in partnership with Government and multi-lateral donor organizations. The project covered the states of Bihar, Chattisgarh, Jharkhand, Madhya Pradesh, Odisha, West Bengal, Andhra Pradesh and Telangana. The Project mapped 100 cities, carried out home based counselling of Multi Drug Resistance TB patients, food support and – Integrated Counseling and Testing Center (ICTC) based treatment adherence services with adherence monitoring.

Dr Anita Victor, Director-Health, World Vision India also highlighted ‘We are proud to lead this consortium of NGO partners as we work with the government to eliminate TB and Axshya has been a rich learning experience, as well as glowing example of good partnerships. Our work which is rooted in the communities addressing the most vulnerable is our strength and it will continue beyond this project as we contribute to the national strategic plan for TB elimination as civil society partners.’