NEW DELHI: US envoy to India Kenneth I Juster on Thursday launched a new initiative designed to help India's corporate sector in the fight against tuberculosis (TB).
The initiative supports the Indian government's ambitious goal of eliminating TB by 2025, which would be five years ahead of the UN's Sustainable Development Goal.
It creates a shared platform for corporations committed to ending TB in India.
The event was held in partnership with the American Chamber of Commerce in India (AMCHAM India) and the Confederation of Indian Industry (CII), the US Embassy said in a statement.
"This platform will recognise corporations for their commitment and contributions to ending TB, and link them with the resources they need to better plan and implement TB programs," it said.
The Ministry of Labour and Employment, with support from the US Agency for International Development (USAID), is scheduled to sign a new Workplace Policy Framework for TB in the coming weeks, which will create a shared understanding of how companies can contribute to control TB in the workplace.
As part of this effort, the USAID is launching a 'TB Pledge' to encourage the private sector to increase resources to combat TB, raise awareness of TB as a curable disease, and ultimately, improve TB health outcomes, the statement read.
This pledge will contain several tiers, based on a company's level of commitment to adopt a TB workplace policy, implement TB workplace programs, and fund TB programs through corporate social responsibility resources.
"The US is proud to be working with the Indian government to bring the corporate sector and civil society together to eradicate this devastating but curable disease.
Indian companies can play a key role in assuring a healthy India.
We ask all of you here today to get involved in the fight against TB through the TB pledge," Juster said.