Tribal TB Initiative

Tribal people (10.4 Cr, 8.6% of total population) have higher prevalence (703 per 100,000) of TB compared to national average (256 per 100,000). 10.4% of all TB notified patients are from tribal communities. The National TB program has prioritized this sub-group of population through Tribal Action Plans since 2005. However, access, availability, and utilization of TB care services of these communities are hindered by geographical barriers, poor state of social determinants, high impact of malnutrition, insufficient community involvement, health system constraints including lack of trained human resources, cultural and communication gaps between the care-provider and the community, etc. The COVID-19 pandemic has probably further worsened the situation. TB is not only a medical disease but a social problem. Even though anyone can be affected by TB the worst hit are the marginalized populations who battle poverty, malnutrition, poor hygiene, stigma, loss of wages, poor housing and working conditions etc. 

Such multi-faceted issues are beyond the efforts of health sector alone and call for comprehensive solutions by meaningful involvement of not just non-health sectors within the Government but also those outside the Government (such as private practitioners). Convergent actions by various Government Ministries are therefore imperative for realization of country’s goal of Ending TB by 2025. As a part of the Multisectoral collaboration with various Ministries, a guidance note on the joint action plan was developed by Ministry of health and family welfare (MoHFW) and Ministry of Tribal Affairs (MoTA) in October 2020 and shared with the Secretaries of all States/ UTs for field level implementation.

This collaboration would be a 4 (four) year initiative till 2025, in line with the Government's goal to End TB by 2025 and part of the Celebration of 75 Years of Independence. Tribal TB initiative is a unique partnership between the Ministry of Health and Family Welfare and Ministry of Tribal Affairs to improve the cascade of TB care and support services among Tribal Populations in India. The technical assistance for this initiative will be provided by USAID. Tribal TB Initiative, is a first-of-its-kind initiative that brings together multiple stakeholders with diverse capabilities required to tackle multi-dimensional issues prevalent in Tribal areas. It includes collaboration between donors, governments and partners to strengthen primary health care service delivery from a system’s perspective, build a strong technology & information backbone, and provide support to the health workforce. At the same time, it will strengthen other elements like governance, financing, supply chain and infrastructure. TB tribal initiative will leverage the expertise
of all involved stakeholders and partners. Overall TB tribal initiative will align with India’s vision for ‘ending TB with a priority focus on TB hotspots of tribal areas.

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Tribal TB initiative

Assessments