In alignment with India's National TB Elimination Programme's ambitious goal to achieve Sustainable Development Goal targets for TB elimination by 2025, Amrita Hospital, Faridabad is proud to announce its commitment to supporting the national program in its efforts to eliminate tuberculosis, with the launch of the hospital’s TB Elimination Initiative ‘End TB Alliance’.
As a leading private hospital under the aegis of Mata Amritanandamayi Math, Amrita Hospitals is renowned for its dedication to excellence in patient care, medical research, and education throughout the country. Amrita Hospital has spearheaded various interventions, including the implementation of Anti-TB Stewardship and the adoption of the System for TB Elimination in the Private Sector (STEPS). These initiatives are instrumental in ensuring quality in drug prescriptions and addressing bidirectional TB screening for Diabetes mellitus within the facility. Moreover, the hospital has taken a leap in the direction of the Corporate TB Pledge and launched the 'Amrita My TB Free Villages' intervention in 100 villages adopted by Mata Amritanandamayi Math across the nation.
Dr. Sanjeev Singh, Medical Director, Amrita Hospital, Faridabad, said, “With the inauguration of the TB Elimination Initiative in Faridabad, Amrita Hospital aims to bolster its efforts in supporting the NTEP in Haryana and adjacent states. The hospital intends to replicate its successful STEPS Centre, Anti-TB Stewardship program, and TB awareness campaigns, along with active case finding in community health programs. Departments across various disciplines, including Pulmonary Medicine, Infectious Diseases, Microbiology, Community Medicine, and Nursing, will play pivotal roles in advancing these initiatives.”
The 'End TB Alliance' initiative will focus on early case finding, minimizing the prevalence-notification gap, and ensuring uniform and high standards of TB care among private healthcare providers. Major activities under this initiative include establishing Amrita’s learning site, supporting private healthcare providers through a hub and spoke model, organizing the private healthcare delivery sector, and mobilizing corporate hospitals for investing in TB prevention and care.
Sudhir Rajpal, Principal Secretary, Health, Govt. of Haryana said, “It is evident that this endeavor requires collective effort from all sectors of society. It's not solely the responsibility of the government but a concerted effort involving the healthcare industry, NGOs, corporate hospitals, and the community at large. While TB has long been a formidable challenge, modern data offers hope, making elimination a feasible goal. Similar to our united stance against COVID-19, tackling TB requires systematic patient identification, tracking, and treatment. By addressing deficiencies through tailored district-level plans and leveraging resources from the private sector, we can effectively combat TB. Emphasizing technology and dispelling stigmas surrounding TB are integral to our strategy for success.
Recognizing the urgent need for accelerated efforts towards TB elimination, Amrita Hospital Faridabad is poised to lead the charge in forging partnerships and collaborations within the private healthcare sector as well as with the government bodies.
Dr. Hitesh Verma, State TB Officer, Haryana said, “Haryana faces the second-highest TB burden in the country, with approximately 80,000 patients, out of whom nearly 27,000 are treated in private hospitals. While our systems ensure comprehensive screening and tailored treatment, accessibility to these services remains a challenge for many due to cost constraints at private hospitals which lead to only a third of patients at these facilities to be able to access tests and screenings. I urge private hospitals to leverage state government facilities for screenings, ensuring every patient receives necessary care. By directing patients to accessible facilities, we can bridge the gap in TB care and work towards our shared goal of eliminating this disease.”
Amrita Hospital’s ‘End TB Alliance’ was launched in the presence of Dr Arjun Khanna, HoD, Dept of Pulmonary Medicine, who opened the conversation with his insights on the disease, followed by Dr. Sanjeev Singh. Apart from Dr. Hitesh Verma and Mr. Sudhir Rajpal, the launch was also attended by Dr. Jyoti Jaju, Project Director iDEFEAT TB, The Union, Dr Bhavin Vadera, Sr Health Advisor, USAID, Dr. Girdhar Gyani, Director General, AHPI, and Dr. R. Joshi, DDG Central TB Division, MoHFW.
“We are witnessing a significant momentum in our fight against TB, especially with the leadership shown by our Honorable Prime Minister in spearheading the end TB movement in India. It's heartening to see corporate sectors stepping up to support this crucial cause. I extend my sincere appreciation to the Amrita Group of Hospitals for their innovative approach in leveraging the private healthcare sector, which plays a vital role in our healthcare ecosystem. With 70-80% of our population seeking healthcare in the private sector, their involvement is pivotal. I also commend the proactive engagement of the Government of India in fostering corporate partnerships, which not only aids in TB elimination but also holds promise for addressing other healthcare challenges in the future,” said Dr. Bhavin Vadera, Sr Health Advisor, USAID.
India is the global leader for tuberculosis cases, accounting 28% of the world’s TB patients. the highest burden of TB globally, with approximately 2.4 million individuals contracting the disease and around 250,000 to 400,000 succumbing to it annually. The economic impact of TB, measured in terms of lives lost, income depletion, and workday disruptions, is considerable. Typically afflicting the economically active segment of society, TB leads to a notable reduction in productivity, exacerbating the financial hardships faced by patients and perpetuating the cycle of poverty
