Assessing the TB Mukt Gram Panchayat Program in Rajasthan: A Way toward Tuberculosis Elimination

Area of Science:

• Public Health
• Community Health Programs
• Tuberculosis Elimination

Background:

• The TB Mukt Gram Panchayat program was initiated by the National Health Mission in Rajasthan on August 15, 2022.
• This initiative aims to involve Panchayati Raj Institutions in the fight against tuberculosis (TB) at the grassroots level.

Purpose of the Study:

• To evaluate the progress and achievements of the TB Mukt Gram Panchayat program in Rajasthan.
• To assess the effectiveness of community-level interventions in TB control.

Main Methods:

• Collaborative development of assessment criteria by expert stakeholders.
• A two-stage assessment process: shortlisting based on active case finding and treatment linkage, followed by a standardized questionnaire.
• Evaluation of indicators including program delivery, case finding, community awareness, support, district capacity, and TB burden.

Main Results:

• Out of 51 Gram Panchayats (GPs)/Wards (WAs) assessed, 29 achieved TB-free status.
• 13 GPs/WAs showed progress toward TB-free status.
• The remaining GPs/WAs were not qualified due to incomplete coverage.

Conclusions:

• The TB Mukt Gram Panchayat program in Rajasthan demonstrates significant progress in TB elimination efforts.
• The study highlights successful stakeholder collaboration in creating a verification framework for TB-free claims.
• The developed assessment framework can serve as a model for other states aiming for TB elimination.