Uttar Pradesh: Rs 2.78 lakh paid to TB patients for nutritious food till September 17 this year

The monitoring of the 'Nikshay Nutrition Scheme' by the State Government is benefitting TB patients.

Lucknow: In a bid to provide essential nutritional support to malnourished TB (tuberculosis) patients, the Uttar Pradesh government has intensified efforts under the Central Government’s Nikshay Nutrition Scheme.

The scheme aims to protect tuberculosis patients from malnutrition by providing them with nutritious food and making the state TB-free by 2025.

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A total of Rs 2.78 lakh has been made to TB patients from January 1 to September 17 this year under the Nikshay Nutrition Scheme, as per the official statement from the chief minister’s office.

Presently, over 4.16 lakh TB patients are undergoing TB treatment in Uttar Pradesh. Dr Zia Hashim, Head of the Pulmonary Department of SGPGI said that nutrition is very important for TB patients because they are already weak because of the disease. “While taking numerous TB medicines, the patient needs nutritious food for support”, Dr Hashim said.

The monitoring of the ‘Nikshay Nutrition Scheme’ by the State Government is benefitting TB patients.

In addition to medication, individuals afflicted with TB are receiving nutritious meals, community support, and encouragement. These crucial factors have contributed to their recovery from tuberculosis, and as a result, they are supporting the Yogi government’s initiative as TB champions, she further added.

Preeti Yadav, Dietician of SGPGI, says that TB patients not only have to cope with their disease but also have to overcome the hurdle of malnutrition. Therefore, along with medicines, a nutritious diet is very important. People suffering from malnutrition are more likely to get TB. Anno (40) from Wazirganj, was severely malnourished creating a conducive environment for TB bacteria to take residence within her body which she did not even realize. Once diagnosed, her treatment was started, but her weak body proved incapable of bearing the heat of the medicine. Anno took advantage of the ‘Nikshay Nutrition Scheme’, due to which she became completely free from TB. Ismat Fatima, aged 29 and a resident of Sahadatganj, got TB but her nutritional status was fine.

Consequently, she encountered no difficulties in adhering to her medication regimen, and after six months of dedicated treatment, she made a full recovery. Presently, she is living a happy life and is fulfilling all her responsibilities. Her experience is that TB is definitely a serious disease but can be cured by staying nourished. “The cases of Anno and Ismat are examples illustrating the important role of maintaining adequate nutritional levels in the recovery process of TB patients seeking to regain their health and freedom from the disease. Lancet has recently published this fact in its report. This trial highlights the importance of providing nutritional support to family members for TB prevention,” the statement said.

In a trial conducted on more than 10,000 family members, nutritional support resulted in a remarkable reduction of all types of TB by 40 per cent and infectious TB by about 50 per cent in the family members of patients with pulmonary TB.