Corporates say they have role in TB eradication

Indian corporates today expressed support for the Centre's campaign to eradicate tuberculosis (TB) from the country, where about 2.8 million new cases of the disease are reported every year.
The campaign, "Call to Action for a TB-Free India", pushes for increased efforts to control and subsequently eradicate the infectious disease, which generally affects the lungs, through innovative policies and new strategies.
A host of companies and corporate-linked foundations took part in an event, dialogue, organised here by The International Union Against Tuberculosis and Lung Disease.
The event served as a forum to introduce interventions planned by corporates to curb TB and collaborate with the Maharashtra Government and BrihanMumbai Municipal Corporation (BMC)'s Public Health Department for their implementation.

It was an opportunity for corporates to meet officials and share their ideas, plans for collaborating and complementing the State and Central Governments' efforts to address India's TB challenge.
Ambuja Cement, Crompton Greaves, Essar Foundation, L&T, DHFL, Lupin, Johnson & Johnson, Qiagen, Cepheid, Omkar Foundation and Tata Trusts, among others, took part.

Padmaja Keskar, Executive Health Officer, BMC's Public Health Department, said, "No health programme can be successful without public participation. This is why we need corporates to come forward and adopt high-burden TB corridors and take on different tasks."
According to the WHO estimates, about 2.8 million new cases of TB are reported in India every year. A WHO report has said number of TB-related deaths doubled in 2015 in India.

Although India met the 2015 Millennium Development Goals to reduce TB incidence, much work remains to be done and intensified efforts are required by all stakeholders, speakers at the event said.
"Our focus is on awareness, enhancing research and training. Globally, we are working to enhance research to reduce treatment time. The Conditional Access Program (CAP) should be given priority and access needs to increase. We need to follow the model that South Africa has adopted for CAP, Johnson & Johnson Managing Director Sanjiv Navangul said.
Deepak Arora, CEO, Essar Foundation, stressed on workplace programmes for TB eradication.
"The corporate sector has a definitive role. However, different companies have different roles. A company like ours, which has a large footprint in India, can have an important role in reaching out to communities," he said.