India Doubles Nutrition Support for TB Patients

On 7th October 2024, the Union Health Ministry increased monthly nutrition support for tuberculosis (TB) patients and extended benefits to their household contacts.

Key Points

Doubling of Nutrition Support for TB Patients: The monthly support under the Ni-kshay Poshan Yojana (NPY) has been doubled from Rs. 500 to Rs. 1,000 for all TB patients undergoing treatment.
Expanded Coverage for Families: Household contacts of TB patients are now eligible for social support under the Pradhan Mantri TB Mukt Bharat Abhiyaan (PMTBMBA), including food baskets for improving immunity.
Energy Dense Nutrition Supplementation (EDNS) Introduced: All TB patients with a Body Mass Index (BMI) below 18.5 will receive EDNS for the first two months of treatment, covering about 12 lakh underweight patients.
Government Expenditure Increase: The enhancement of NPY support and EDNS introduction will cost the government Rs. 1,040 crore, shared between the Centre and States.
Impact on TB Elimination Goal: These measures are expected to improve treatment outcomes, reduce mortality, and help India meet its target of eliminating TB by 2025, ahead of the global 2030 goal.