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Eradicating TB by 2025 in India a tough task: The Global Fund

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By Rachel V. Thomas
New Delhi, Feb 8 (IANS) While the government’s goal of ending tuberculosis (TB) by 2025 in India is worthy of applause, it is “tough” and “very stretching”, given where the country stands currently, says a top executive at the Switzerland-based non-profit The Global Fund.

India currently has the world’s highest burden of TB, with 27 per cent of all global cases and over 30 per cent of all deaths worldwide.

In March 2017, Prime Minister Narendra Modi announced India’s target for complete elimination of TB by 2025, five years ahead of global target of 2030.

Elimination of TB will mean there should be less than one case of TB for a population of 10 lakh by 2025, according to the World Health Organisation (WHO).

“The biggest challenge in fighting infectious disease in India is TB,” Peter Sands, Executive Director of the Global Fund to Fight AIDS, Tuberculosis and Malaria, told IANS on Thursday.

“2025 is a tough challenge, given where India stands and is very stretching, as it isn’t far away,” Sands added.

However, he noted that it is great to have a demanding an ambitious goal and “since the announcement, there has been a marked acceleration in the progress against TB”.

“I would applaud the leadership and action being taken. The government is showing a will and determination to realise the ambitions goal,” Sand stressed.

The Global Fund has been active since 2002 and have partnered with the government in the fight against HIV, TB and Malaria.

Since 2002, the non-profit has disbursed $2.1 billion in various programmes to fight HIV, TB and malaria and strengthen health systems in India. For the 2017-2019-allocation period, the organisation has allocated $500 million – the largest proportion of it is focused on TB.

“One of the biggest challenges in the fight against TB are the 3.6 million “missing” people with active TB – people who are undiagnosed, unreported and untreated each year, contributing to ongoing transmission.

“Without treatment, a person with active TB can spread the disease to as many as 15 others,” Sands said.

But the new indicators are encouraging, he said. TB notification in India has increased from 1.7 million in 2015 to 2.15 million in 2018.

“If we have to beat the epidemic, we need to see continued trajectory, decreases in the proportion of people falling ill with TB, and getting early diagnoses and treatment,” Sands told IANS.

Although India accounts for 4 per cent of the estimated global malaria cases and 68 per cent of reported cases in South-East Asia, it has halved since 2000.

On HIV, Sands maintained that while India has made progress, there is still significant work to be done.

“Overcoming barriers to access to marginalised communities, especially to women in the remote areas, by leveraging the ASHA network and mobile clinics could help in the fight against the epidemics,” Sands said.

(Rachel V. Thomas can be contacted at [email protected])

–IANS
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Dr. Abhishek Verma Dedicates a Shelter in Memory of His Mother, Veena Verma, at KGMU; Inaugurated by Daughter Nicolle Verma

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World-renowned business tycoon Dr. Abhishek Verma has supported Foodman Vishal Singh’s Hunger-Free World mission. In memory of his mother, Late Veena Verma, who was a 3 term Rajya Sabha MP.

Dr. Verma dedicated a state-of-the-art free permanent shelter for the attendants of patients at KGMU Medical University, Lucknow, under the aegis of Vijay Shree Foundation. His daughter, Nicolle Verma, inaugurated the shelter.

During the event, Foodman Vishal Singh honored Nicolle Verma by presenting her with a memento. Mrs. Nidhi Sharma and Avantika Yadav, associated with the organization, welcomed her with garlands. Following this, Nicolle Verma distributed essential items to the attendants and also handed out fruits. She became emotional remembering her grandmother on her birth anniversary.

On this occasion, she also inaugurated the “Veena Verma Sevalaya” in memory of her grandmother, Veena Verma, to serve the attendants. She expressed, “I feel proud that my family is engaged in nation-building as well as social service. Today, in collaboration with Vijay Shree Foundation founder Foodman Vishal Singh Ji, I feel immensely proud to dedicate this shelter for the poor, helpless, and needy attendants of patients battling serious illnesses like cancer. I am honored to be associated with the Hunger-Free World Mission for humanity.”

Inspired by the continuous humanitarian service provided by Vijay Shree Foundation over the past 17 years, Nicolle Verma donated 10 lakh rupees to support the cause. The purpose of this donation is to ensure that services continue for the needy attendants of patients suffering from severe illnesses in hospitals, as facilitated by Foodman Vishal Singh.

It is noteworthy that Dr. Abhishek Verma’s family has a legacy of public and philanthropic service. They are helping millions to carry forward the values and service work of their parents. On the occasion of his mother’s birth anniversary, Dr. Abhishek Verma dedicated this state-of-the-art permanent shelter at Lucknow Medical College to serve the attendants of patients through the Vijay Shree Foundation.

Supporting Foodman Vishal Singh’s Hunger-Free World mission, Dr. Abhishek Verma assured that he would continually support keeping this flame of humanity alive. He also promised to assist in providing medicines to the helpless patients.

Continuing her grandmother’s legacy of service, Nicolle Verma personally served food to the needy patients and attendants. She said, “It is our good fortune to have received the joy of doing this noble work today through Foodman Vishal Singh. I have taken another step forward in carrying my family’s values and cooperation by joining hands with the Vijay Shree Foundation. My father taught me to serve and help the needy, and I feel happy when I bring a smile to someone’s face.”

On the birth anniversary of the late Veena Verma, the event organizer, Vijay Shree Foundation founder Foodman Vishal Singh, said, “We feel proud and happy that Dr. Abhishek Verma, a globally renowned business tycoon, has extended his support to uplift our country from the hunger index. Today, on his mother’s birth anniversary, he inaugurated a state-of-the-art permanent shelter at Lucknow Medical College, which will always be helpful for the needy attendants of patients. It is a pleasure for me and the organization to receive the affection of Mr. Verma.”

The event was attended by General Manager Verma Family Office Hemant Garg, Sonu Rajput, and the organization’s volunteers, including Sandeep Singh, Parmeshwar Ji, Prashant Rao Gautam, Balram Singh, Ramesh Chaudhary, Suman, Jeetu, Anil, Suraj, Vinay, Manish Bhadauria, Manas Mehrotra, Vivek, Apurv, Happy, and others.

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