Kohima District TB Forum meeting was held on 26th September at Deputy Commissioner’s Conference Halls Kohima.
Addressing the meeting, Deputy Commissioner and Chairperson, District TB Forum Kohima, Shanavas C, IAS stated that the TB campaign calls for social movements focused on patient-centric and holistic care driven by integrated actions for TB-Free India.
Shanavas informed that Nagaland has a high rate of TB disease for which he urged all the stakeholders to coordinate the effort of various departments to eliminate Tuberculosis by 2025. He said that in the state, there is a need for proper mechanisms, and representatives in the villages, where there is a lack of awareness, which is a major concern.
He said that the meeting should not remain just a meeting but should have proper follow-up and a review meeting every time so that the discussion and strategies should reach out at the grass root level.
Highlighting the objectives of TB Forum State TB Cell, NTEP, Director of H&FW, Thungchanbeni M. Humtsoe said that the main objectives of TB Forum are to engage with policymakers and implementers to ensure justice, rights, and dignity of TB patients for effective service delivery; to supplement and complement government initiatives to enforce; TB patient-friendly law, policy, and programmes; to reduce stigma and discrimination and ensure social security of TB patients, survivors, and their families; to improve awareness on various government schemes, provisions, facilities available for TB patients and to improve treatment literacy and adherence among TB patients and to engage in evidence-based advocacy with the stakeholders to expand services.
TB scenario in Kohima District was presented by District TB Officer, Kohima, Dr. Chibenthung Kithan while presentation on TB scenario was given by Kohima District TB Officer, Kohima. TB Champion/survivor testimony was shared by Keduseto Kintso, presentation on HIV/AIDS, Kohima district was delivered by Sentimongla Tzudir, District Program Officer,-Dap M, District AIDS Prevention & Control Unit, Kohima. A vote of thanks was pronounced by Member Secretary, District TB Forum, Kohima.
(Akamla, IA Kohima)
