Kalaburagi making strides towards TB-free status, says Deputy Commissioner

Kalaburagi district celebrates 79 gram panchayats declared TB-free, achieving over 90% treatment success, says Deputy Commissioner.

Kalaburagi district has taken significant steps towards becoming tuberculosis (TB)-free, with as many as 79 gram panchayats declared TB-free so far, Deputy Commissioner B. Fouzia Taranum said on Tuesday (March 24).

Speaking after inaugurating the district-level World Tuberculosis Day programme award ceremony for TB-free gram panchayats and the 100-day TB Mukt Bharat campaign at the old Zilla Panchayat hall, she said sustained efforts by the administration and health departments are yielding positive results, even as there is a need to eliminate social stigma surrounding the disease.

She emphasised that TB does not spread through casual touch and urged society to extend support to patients instead of discriminating against them. “Family support plays a crucial role in the recovery of TB patients,” she noted.

The Deputy Commissioner said that of the 79 TB-free gram panchayats, 15 were declared in 2023, 21 in 2024, and 43 during 2025–26. She added that free testing and treatment facilities are available across all government hospitals and primary health centres in the district.

Highlighting the progress made, she said the district has achieved a treatment success rate of over 90%, with around 80,000 to 90,000 tests conducted annually to identify and treat patients at an early stage.

Zilla Panchayat Chief Executive Officer Bhanwar Singh Meena said the TB Mukt Panchayat campaign has shown encouraging results, with the number of TB-free gram panchayats increasing to 43 this year from 36 last year. Over 87,000 suspected cases have been screened so far, surpassing the set targets, he added, stressing that TB eradication is a collective social responsibility.