Lok Sabha Question No. 738 (UNSTARRED), answered on 2025-02-07
Subject: Financial Burden on TB Patients
Ministry: HEALTH AND FAMILY WELFARE
Asked by: Shri Balashowry Vallabhaneni

## GOVERNMENTOFINDIA MINISTRY OFHEALTH AND FAMILY WELFARE DEPARTMENT OFHEALTH AND FAMILY WELFARE

## LOK SABHA UNSTARRED QUESTION NO. 738 TO BE ANSWERED ON 07 th FEBRUARY, 2025

## FINANCIALBURDEN ON TB PATIENTS

## 738. SHRI BALASHOWRY VALLABHANENI:

Will the Minister of HEALTH AND FAMILYWELFARE be pleased to state:

- (a) whether the Government has taken note of the recent study by Indian Council of Medical Research (ICMR) which states that Tuberculosis continue to inflict a heavy financial/economic burden on patients in the country and if so, the details thereof;
- (b) whether it is a fact that TB patients are not taking advantage of free treatment facilities provided for the same by the Government and if so, the reasons thereof;
- (c) the extent to which people having no health insurance coverage impacts out-of-pocket expenses and patient's incurring catastrophic costs on TB; and
- (d) the efforts being made by the Government to take the message to TB patients that the Government is with them and is implementing various programmes for TB elimination in the country?

## ANSWER THE MINISTER OF STATE IN THE MINISTRY OF HEALTH AND FAMILY WELFARE (SMT. ANUPRIYA PATEL)

(a) to (d) The National TB Elimination Programme (NTEP) is implemented under the aegis of the National Health Mission (NHM). Keeping in view costs attached to TB treatment, the programmatic interventions of NTEP ensure free screening, free diagnostics and free treatment for all TB patients, at all public health facilities across the country. TB services have been decentralized to the level of Ayushman Arogya Mandir and free treatment services are availed by beneficiaries across all public health facilities and identified private health facilities, including those without health insurance coverage. To further reduce out-of-pocket expenditure and catastrophic costs, the Government has enhanced benefits under Ni-kshay Poshan Yojana (NPY) from Rs 500 to Rs 1000/month per patient for the duration of treatment. Since April 2018, under NPY Rs 3,246 Cr has been disbursed to 1.2 Cr beneficiaries. The Ni-kshay Mitra initiative has been expanded to cover household contacts of TB patients. Since September 2022, 2.55 lakh Nikshay Mitras have been registered and 23.63 lakh food baskets distributed.

The Government has launched a 100 days intensified TB mukt bharat abhiyan on 7 th December 2024, in identified 347 priority districts across 33 State/UTs, to accelerate the endeavour to achieve Sustainable Development Goals related to TB. During 7 th December 2024 and 1 st February 2025 under the campaign in 347 districts, 4.94 lakh Ni-kshay shivirs have been held, 5.63 crore vulnerable individuals have been screened and 1.59 lakh new TB patients have been notified. Further, 86,748 new Ni-kshay Mitras have been registered and 1.12 lakh food baskets have been disbursed to TB patients and their family members in the campaign districts.

Community involvement through intensive Information, Education & Communication activities are conducted to ensure solidarity among TB patients and educate the public and raise awareness about symptoms, prevention and the importance of timely treatment for TB. Jan Bhaghidari activities are implemented with involvement of Schools, Panchayati Raj Institutions, Self-Help Groups, Anganwadis, local Non-Government Organisations and Civil Society Organizations.

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