Union minister Ashwini Kumar Choubey on January 4 directed officers working under the TB Control Programme to convey the prime minister's resolve of eliminating tuberculosis by 2025, five years ahead of the global target, to all schools across the country.

Minister of State for Health chaired a meeting to review the working of the National Tuberculosis Control Programme during which he was informed about the steps being taken to treat the disease, including Drug Resistant TB, by employing latest medicines. 

To the query of the minister, it was stated that after the last drug found in 1960, a new and more effective medicine was found and introduced in 2017, an official statement said. Choubey explained the need for popularising oral and children-friendly tablets.

The Deputy Director General, Revised National TB Control Program (RNTCP) assured to give greater thrust and focus to the drive to popularise such drugs. While reviewing the working of the TB Control Programme state-wise, Choubey expressed concern over the states which are lagging behind in implementation of the programme and directed the officials to extend all the support to them, the statement said.

"In order to give adequate publicity to the programme, the minister directed the officers to convey the resolve of the prime minister to all schools across the country to make India 'TB Mukt' by 2025. "Choubey also observed that the school children be sensitized about the TB programme by organising painting and essay writing competitions.He also desired that all stakeholder including legislators are sensitized and their cooperation solicited to combat and eliminate TB," the statement stated.

Choubey also stressed on the need for mapping of the concentrated areas so that greater and sustained drive is launched to control TB from such vulnerable areas.