72 gram panchayats in Dharwad district become TB-free

A quiet but significant public health cam paign is taking shape across rural Dharwad, with 72 gram panchayats now meeting the preliminary criteria for the ‘TB Mukt Gram Panchayat’ status, signalling substantial progress in the district’s fight against tu berculosis. The scale of the progress is evident from the numbers. In 2023, only two gram panchayats in Dharwad had achieved the TB-free status. The number rose to 31 in early 2024 and has now reached 72, according to the official data shared by the Union Minister Pralhad Joshi’s office.

Union Minister and Dharwad MP Pralhad Joshi, speaking at a consultation meeting of MPs from Karnataka and Kerala on TB eradication in the presence of Union Health Minister J.P. Nadda, also highlighted Dharwad’s progress. He said the district had recorded an 88% treatment success rate and was steadily moving towards the goal of complete TB eradication. The campaign has relied heavily on active screening rather than waiting for pa tients to report to hospitals.

As part of the intensified exercise, 161 X-ray screening camps were conducted in 130 days, covering more than 7,800 people. Between January and July 2026 alone, 43,840 people were screened, exceeding the targeted coverage by 24%. District Tuberculosis Officer The campaign against TB has relied heavily on active screening rather than waiting for patients to report to hospitals. cise, 161 X-ray screening camps were conducted in 130 days, covering more than 7,800 people.

Between January and July 2026 alone, 43,840 people were screened, exceeding the target (DTO) Dr Ravindra Bhover said early detection and prompt treatment had played a crucial role in reducing TB-related mortality in the district. “Intensive screening and early treatment interventions have been crucial in bringing down the mortality rate. The TB Mukt Gram Panchayat initiative is helping us take the fight against TB to the grassroots,” he said. The TB Mukt Gram Panchayat initiative is not merely a dec laration based on the number of patients treated.

Gram panchayats have to meet a set of stringent indicators before qualifying for the status.The incidence of TB must remain below one positive case per 1,000 population, while the treatment success and cure rate should exceed 90%. Financial and nutritional support for patients is another im portant component. Under the Nikshay Poshan Yojana, eligible TB patients receive nutritional assistance, with beneficiaries entitled to up to Rs 6,000 in two instalments. Dr Bhover said that 72 have currently fulfilled the preliminary requirements for the TB free tag.

The process, therefore, represents more than a numerical achievement—it reflects the strengthening of surveillance, testing and treatment at the village level. The district’s approach is in creasingly centred on identify ing TB early, ensuring that pa tients complete treatment and preventing further transmission within communities. The extensive screening camps have helped health officials identify suspected cases that may otherwise have gone undetected. Joshi attributed Dharwad’s progress to the commitment of the Union Government and the sustained efforts of the district administration. He said nutritional support was also being extended to patients through the Nikshay Mitra initiative.