President Mukherjee calls stakeholders to redouble efforts for elimination of TB

New Delhi [India], Mar 24 : President Pranab Mukherjee on Friday called upon all stakeholders to redouble their efforts for an early achievement of TB elimination on the eve of World Tuberculosis Day.

In his message sent to the global coalition against Tuberculosis, the President said, "I am happy to learn that World Tuberculosis Day is being observed on March 24, to commemorate the day in 1882 when Dr.

Robert Koch discovered the TB bacillus". TB continues to be one of the major health challenges of India. The country today is better prepared to fight TB than ever before. It is capable of effective intervention and possesses advanced technologies for diagnosis, treatment and care of TB.

During the period 2012-2017, the Revised National Tuberculosis Control Programme screened over 42 million individuals and more than seven million patients were administered treatment.

Source: ANI