Delhi LG Proposes TB Screening for All Hospital Admissions
Delhi Lt Governor Taranjit Singh Sandhu has proposed screening all hospital admissions for TB with consent, as the city lags key TB Mukt Bharat Abhiyaan targets.
Patients admitted to Delhi hospitals for any ailment could soon also be screened for tuberculosis, with Lieutenant Governor Sardar Taranjit Singh Sandhu proposing universal TB testing at the point of admission.
The screening would be carried out with the consent of the patient or their family, according to the proposal.
The suggestion comes amid concerns that Delhi is trailing key targets under the TB Mukt Bharat Abhiyaan, with the September 30 deadline drawing close.
Targets Lagging
Coverage of TB Preventive Treatment (TPT) among eligible household contacts currently stands at 55 per cent, well short of the 80 per cent target. Differentiated TB Care has reached 74 per cent against a goal of 90 per cent.
Sandhu has directed officials to close both gaps before the deadline and to address the operational shortfalls slowing progress.
Focus on High-Risk Settings
Officials have also been instructed to intensify TB screening in high-risk wards and congregate settings, and to expand outreach through social media and other channels to reduce the stigma surrounding the disease and encourage more people to seek testing.
A shortage of radiographers is hampering the full deployment of AI-enabled handheld X-ray machines for TB screening. The Lieutenant Governor has asked officials to resolve the manpower constraint urgently so that the available equipment can be put to use.
Pending DBT Payments
Sandhu further directed that pending Direct Benefit Transfer (DBT) payments to eligible beneficiaries be cleared without delay.
The review was his second assessment of Delhi's TB programme, following an earlier review on June 23. With the deadline approaching, officials have been asked to accelerate screening and bridge the gaps in preventive treatment and differentiated care.