Project “Axshaya” launched in Mkg

Mokokchung, June 4 (MExN): A district level project “Axshaya”- the Global Fund to fight for AIDS, TB and Malaria and Round- 9 Project was formally launched at Mokokchung district. A press release received here stated that the project was launched by Dr. N. Bendang Jamir, Chief Medical Officer, Mokokchung on June 3 at District TB Centre organized by the Catholic Health Association of India in Collaboration with Development Association of Nagaland and RNTCP.
Dr. Bendang said the Government of India aims to eradicate complete TB epidemic by 2015 as per Millennium Development Goals. He said that leprosy has been successfully eliminated from our State with the efforts of Nagaland health departments, personnel and staff, whereas the killer diseases like TB, Malaria and AIDS still need to be given more efforts and intervene at all levels. He urged the governments sectors and staff to give full cooperation to carry out the activities into the district together so as to successfully eradicate the TB epidemic TB by 2015.
Dr. Chuba, District TB Officer, RNTCP, Mokokchung also spoke on the programme and said that Mokokchung district is one of the model district in terms of case detection, cure rate and tracing of defaulters cases. He said that almost all the TB patients were treated well and got cured and so far there is no defaulter cases in accessing treatment and getting started DOTs with perfect adherence and he has personally visited all the TB patients irrespective of their difficult geographical areas where they live and has all the TB patient personal details with their family members and village wise datas.
He said that there is a lacking behind in two areas especially Changkikong and Japongkong range where the TB case detection is very low and still stigma and discrimination is prevailing. He said that there is need to give more focus and efforts to bring down the level of misconception among the family members, civil societies and the general public so as to spread more awareness on TB, its treatment and the quality of life of the people could be ensured.
Dr. S. S Akhaba, Deputy CMO, Mokokchung on behalf of Health Department acknowledged the CHAI for bringing up the TB project for Mokokchung district. He assured all possible help to extent full cooperation with the CHAI/RNTCP activities which is considered as our own programs and for our own people.
Kyupise Sangtam, District Coordinator, CHAI briefed about the Project “Axshaya”. He said that in India there are 2 deaths in every three minutes, 1000 deaths a day and 370,000 deaths due to TB each year. He further said that the programme has a well defined ACSM strategy and continuous efforts are being made in building the capacity of the states for need based planning of ACSM activities. There are also approved schemes for the involvement of NGOs and Private Practitioners, complement RNTCP efforts in quality services, jointly addressed the issues of government facilities for the poor areas, access to diagnostics, increased commitment to DR-TB and TB-HIV from all levels, enhancing engagement of community-based providers and engage other providers in RNTCP’s revised schemes. He also that addressing these challenges requires a concerted response from the government and civil societies, this being the overall strategy of the Global Fund Round 9 proposal having three Principal Recipients viz Central TB Division (CTD) (Government of India - GoI), and a partnership of 16 NGOs organized under 2 civil society Principle Recipients (the International Union Against Tuberculosis and Lung Disease, or ‘The Union’, and World Vision India). The overall aims and objectives of the project is to Increase case detection, Increase cure rates, Universal access, Decrease TB incidence, Decrease TB mortality, Reduce risk of MDR-TB and to Improve quality of life of the people.
He said that they have identified and selected four active local NGOs within the district of Mokokchung namely, Network of Mokokchung District People Living with HIV and AIDS (NMP+), Care and Support Society, Jiremmen Youth Society and Pongener Society to carry out the ACSM activities in collaboration with the RNTCP by way of micro funding and activities components. The programme was attended by CMO, Dy. CMO, DTO and RNTCP Staff, ICTC counselors, ART Centre, NRHM, DAPCU, DLN and Mother NGO’s representatives.