Lok Sabha Question No. 3656 (UNSTARRED), answered on 2025-03-21
Subject: Prevalence of TB among Tea Garden Workers of Assam
Ministry: HEALTH AND FAMILY WELFARE
Asked by: Shri Ranjit Dutta

## GOVERNMENT OFINDIA MINISTRY OF HEALTH AND FAMILY WELFARE DEPARTMENT OF HEALTH AND FAMILY WELFARE

## LOK SABHA UNSTARRED QUESTION NO. 3656 TO BE ANSWERED ON 21 ST MARCH, 2025

## PREVALENCE OFTB AMONG TEAGARDEN WORKERS OF ASSAM

## 3656. SHRI RANJIT DUTTA:

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

- (a) whether TB is still a serious public health problem among workers working in tea gardens of Assam especially in Brahmaputra and Barak valleys as was mentioned in the National TB Prevalence Survey of 2019-21 that 217 cases per 100000 population exists and if so, the details thereof;
- (b) the steps taken/proposed to be taken by the Government to deal with TB in these regions in which awareness solution and treatment related initiative is included;
- (c) whether any special schemes/programmes have been started by the Government to prevent
- TB disease in workers working in tea gardens of Assam and if so, the details thereof; and
- (d) the steps taken/proposed to be taken by the Government to achieve target in eradicating TB from the regions which are highly affected?

## ANSWER THE MINISTER OF STATE IN THE MINISTRY OF HEALTH AND FAMILY WELFARE

## (SMT. ANUPRIYAPATEL)

(a) to (d) As per TB Prevalence Survey Report (2019-21) conducted by Indian Council for Medical Research (ICMR), the prevalence of all forms of TB in North East States as a group (Arunachal Pradesh, Assam, Manipur, Meghalaya, Mizoram, Nagaland, Tripura and Sikkim) was 274 cases per 1,00,000 population.

The Government has implemented National TB Elimination Programme (NTEP) under the aegis of the National Health Mission (NHM) across all the States/UTs including Assam. The key steps taken to address TB are as under:

- Targeted interventions in high TB burden areas through State and District Specific

Strategic plans.

- Provision of free drugs and diagnostics to TB patients.
- Intensified TB case-finding among vulnerable populations.
- Decentralization of TB screening and treatment services to the Ayushman Arogya Mandir.
- Private sector engagement with incentives for notification & management of TB cases.
- Scaling up of molecular diagnostic laboratories to sub-district levels.
- Ni-kshay Poshan Yojana of Rs 1,000 per month per patient as nutritional support for the entire duration of treatment.
- Intensified Information, Education & Communication (IEC) interventions to reduce stigma, enhance community awareness and improve health seeking behaviour.
- Provision of TB Preventive Treatment to contacts of TB patients and vulnerable population.
- Tracking of notified TB cases through Ni-kshay portal.
- Provision of additional nutritional support to TB patients and household contacts under Ni-kshay Mitra initiative.

National Health Mission (NHM), Assam has executed a memorandum of understanding (MoU) with tea garden health facilities under Public Private Partnership (PPP) to provide health care services for all the employees of tea gardens and its adjoining areas.

Further, the State Government of Assam has taken the following steps for tea garden workers:

- Free diagnosis and treatment of TB through tea garden health facilities.
- Transformation of 354 tea garden health facilities into Ayushman Arogya Mandirs under the National Health Mission (NHM), Assam.
- Provide comprehensive primary healthcare to the tea garden population through dedicated Mobile Medical Units (MMUs).
- Awareness Programme on Health through the Directorate of Tea Tribes and Adivasi Welfare.

*****