Chandigarh, July 15:- Haryana Additional Chief Secretary, Health and Family Welfare Department, Dr. Sumita Mishra said that Haryana has made significant progress in its fight against TB. The state has detected 25,666 new TB patients during the first 104 days of the ongoing 100-day TB Mukt Bharat Abhiyan (Phase-II) through large-scale active screening supported by Artificial Intelligence. The campaign, launched on World Tuberculosis Day (March 24, 2026), reflects the state’s commitment to early identification of TB cases and ensuring timely treatment to prevent the spread of the disease.
Dr. Mishra said that unlike traditional health approaches, which rely on patients visiting health centres, the campaign focuses on ‘active case finding’ (ACF).
Under this, health teams are reaching out to people in sensitive and high-risk communities, including those who are not showing symptoms. This proactive strategy has enabled the health department to identify thousands of patients who would otherwise have gone untested.
A key feature of Haryana’s campaign has been the extensive use of AI-powered technologies to improve screening and diagnosis. The state has deployed AI-enabled handheld X-ray machines, which are capable of providing rapid screening results even in remote areas.
In addition, the 'Cough Against TB' (CATB) mobile application uses artificial intelligence to analyse cough sounds through smartphones and identify individuals who may require further testing. The department has also adopted 'Vulnerability Mapping' (VM-TB) to identify 2,111 high-risk villages and urban wards, allowing health teams to conduct focused screening in areas most susceptible to TB infection. Dr. Mishra informed that the campaign has recorded impressive achievements between March 24 and July 5, 2026. During this period, the health department organised 3,914 health camps, including 2,854 camps in identified high-risk villages and urban wards. A total of 4,73,197 people were screened, while 2,25,321 chest X-rays and 1.25 lakh NAAT diagnostic tests were conducted, resulting in the identification of 25,666 new TB patients.
To support patients during treatment, the government, recognizing the importance of adequate nutrition in recovery from TB, distributed 23,962 nutrition kits. Community participation has also gained momentum, with 2,635 new ‘Nikshya Mitras’ coming forward to provide nutrition and social support to TB patients.
The campaign has seen strong participation at the grassroots level. 65 ‘Nikshya Vahans’, which function as mobile medical units, are providing TB screening and diagnostic services in deprived and remote areas. Public representatives, including MPs, MLAs and representatives of Panchayati Raj Institutions, have actively participated in awareness campaigns, which has encouraged people to get tested and helped reduce the social stigma associated with the disease. TB screening has also been linked with ‘Ayushman Arogya Camps’, enabling citizens to get comprehensive health check-ups including screening for TB, high blood pressure (hypertension), diabetes, anemia and other health conditions under a single platform.