Srinagar: State Task Force Committee meeting of National Tuberculosis Elimination Program (NTEP) of J&K was convened on Tuesday at CD Hospital, GMC Srinagar.
The meeting was held under the chairmanship of Prof (Dr) Naveed Nazir Shah, Chairman State Task Force Committee (NTEP). The meeting was held in hybrid mode both online and offline. The meeting was attended by Prof. Dr. S. Muhammad Salim Khan, HOD Community Medicine GMC Srinagar and Chairman OR Committee (NTEP), HOD Community Medicine, SKIMS Medical College, HOD Community Medicine and Chest Medicine from GMC Baramulla, DTO Baramulla and members of Pulmonary Medicine GMC Srinagar attended the meeting physically while Prof. (Dr) Ashok Bhardwaj Chairman, National Task Force Committee (NTEP),
Prof.(Dr) Surya Kant, Chairman Zonal Task Force, North Zone (NTEP), Prof Dr. Rahul Gupta, Vice Chairman STF, State TB Officers from Jammu and Kashmir Division, Nodal officers/Members from SKIMS Soura, Govt Medical College Jammu, Rajouri, Doda, Kathua, Anantnag, ASCOMS, DTO Jammu, DTO Anantnag, DTO Srinagar attended the meeting online.
Presentations by members from all medical colleges of Jammu & Kashmir were presented on performance of NTEP in Medical Colleges.
Prof.(Dr) Ashok Bhardwaj apprised that the zonal task force committee of NTEP meeting will be held in Kashmir in June 2023.
After Threadbare discussion on the functioning of NTEP activities and identification of various issues viz Up gradation and Installation of Diagnostic tools (CBNAAT / TRUENAAT) in medical colleges, sanctioning staff to newly created medical colleges, stress on activities of case finding notification especially private practitioners, periodic sensitization and training of Medical/paramedical staff of all medical colleges. Chairman also stress about quarterly core committee meetings of NTEP in all medical colleges and informed all the nodal officers of medical colleges to designate a DRTB ward in their respective medical colleges.
Prof Dr. Salim Khan advised all medical teachers of Kashmir to submit research proposals for Tuberculosis and grants will be provided to each medical college for this research work.
Pertinently Prime Minister Narindra Modi has fixed a deadline of elimination of TB from the country till 2025, 5 years earlier than the global target and already three TB Districts of Kashmir have been declared TB Free. The chairman of the State Task Force thanked all the participants for identification of vital and essential issues related to the NTEP.
