NEW DELHI: The centre on Monday announced that the monthly nutrition support under Ni-kshay Poshan Yojana has been doubled from the existing Rs 5,00 to Rs 1000, for all TB patients during the period of treatment.
Making several key initiatives aimed at enhancing nutrition support for TB patients and their household contacts, Union Health Minister J P Nadda also said that an additional allocation of Rs 1,040 crore to the scheme has been approved as nutritional support for all TB patients.
India has set 2025 as its target year for TB elimination, five years ahead of the target set by SDG.
Taking to X, previously Twitter, Nadda said India is resolute and committed to becoming a TB-free nation under the leadership of Prime Minister Narendra Modi. He said as nutrition plays a pivotal role in treatment of the disease, a "landmark decision" has been taken to strengthen the TB warriors.
"Union Health Ministry has doubled the monthly nutrition support under Ni-Kshay Poshan Yojana from the existing Rs 500 to Rs 1000 per month for all TB patients, during the period of treatment. An additional allocation of Rs 1040 crore to Ni-Kshay Poshan Yojana has been approved as nutritional support for all TB patients," he posted.
He said now all household contacts of TB patients will be covered under the Pradhan Mantri TB Mukt Bharat Abhiyaan and will be eligible to receive social support from the community.
"It is noteworthy that till date, Rs 3,202 crores have been disbursed to 1.13 crore beneficiaries through Direct Benefit Transfer under Ni-kshay Poshan Yojana," the minister said.
"The government has also decided to introduce energy-dense nutrition supplementation for all patients with BMI less than 18.5 and to permit expansion of scope and coverage of Ni-Kshay Mitra initiative under Pradhan Mantri TB Mukt Bharat Abhiyaan (PMTBMBA) to the family members (household contacts) of TB patients," he said.
He said all TB patients will now receive a nutritional support of Rs 3,000 to Rs 6,000 under the Ni-Kshay Poshan Yojana (NPY).
While enhancement of NPY support will benefit all 25 lakh TB patients in a year, he said the introduction of energy dense nutritional supplementation (EDNS) would cover approximately 12 lakh underweight patients (BMI less than 18.5 kg/m2 at the time of diagnosis).
EDNS would be provided to all eligible patients for the first two months of their treatment.
"This move will cost the government of India approximately an additional Rs 1,040 crore to be shared between the centre and states on 60:40 basis," Nadda said.
The Ni-kshay Poshan Yojana under the Pradhan Mantri TB Mukt Bharat Abhiyan was launched by the union health ministry on September 9, 2022 with an aim to offer community and financial support to TB patients by providing TB patients with additional nutritional, diagnostic and vocational support.
Further, the Union Health Ministry has approved demand on expanding scope of nutritional support to household contacts of TB patients.
In addition to TB patients, Ni-kshay Mitras will adopt the household contacts of TB patients for distribution of food baskets with a view to improve the immunity of the family members of TB patients.
This would lead to a significant reduction in out-of-pocket expenses (OOPE) incurred by TB patients and their families.