Governor Jishnu Dev Varma Launches 'TB-Free Mumbai' Initiative To Eradicate Tuberculosis Through People's Movement
· Free Press Journal
Mumbai: A major public health initiative titled “TB-Free Mumbai” was launched on Tuesday with an aim to eradicate tuberculosis (TB) from the city through a large-scale people’s movement combining government action, public participation, and technology-driven healthcare solutions.
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Governor Inaugurates Initiative at Sion Hospital with Mayor Present
The campaign, jointly undertaken by Maharashtra Lokbhavan and the Brihanmumbai Municipal Corporation, was inaugurated by Maharashtra Governor Jishnu Dev Varma at the Loknete Eknathrao Gaikwad Urban Health Centre and Lokmanya Tilak Municipal General Hospital, Sion in the presence of Mumbai Mayor Ritu Tawde and Deputy Mayor Sanjay Ghadi.
Speaking at the event, Governor Jishnu Dev Varma said that controlling TB in Mumbai would require more than government intervention and should evolve into a mass movement. He noted that Mumbai’s high population density and pressure on public transport systems increase the risk of infectious diseases spreading rapidly.
Mumbai's Success Can Be a Model for India and the World
“If Mumbai succeeds in becoming TB-free, it will not only be a model for India but also for the entire world,” the Governor said, adding that the initiative draws inspiration from Prime Minister Narendra Modi’s “Prime Minister TB-Free India Campaign.”
According to BMC, Mumbai recorded 54,390 TB cases in 2025, down from 60,633 cases reported in 2024. Of the total cases last year, 48,835 patients were Mumbai residents, compared to 53,638 resident cases in 2024, reflecting a gradual decline in the disease burden.
Mayor Calls Drug-Resistant TB a Serious Challenge for Mumbai
Mayor Ritu Tawde described the campaign as “not just a slogan but a people’s movement.” She said Mumbai faces a serious challenge from Drug-Resistant Tuberculosis (DRTB), and breaking the chain of infection through early diagnosis and immediate treatment is critical.
To strengthen early detection efforts, the city has begun organizing “Ayushman Health Camps” across all 24 municipal wards. The camps are equipped with AI-supported handheld X-ray machines capable of conducting chest scans within seconds directly in densely populated communities and slum areas.
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Additional Municipal Commissioner Dr. Vipin Sharma said nearly 3 percent of India’s TB patients are from Mumbai, while around 8 percent of the country’s MDR-resistant TB cases are reported in the city, making Mumbai’s TB eradication efforts nationally significant.
During the programme, nutrition kits were distributed to TB patients, and a campaign booklet was released. NGOs associated with the National Tuberculosis Elimination Programme were also felicitated.
The Governor also interacted with district TB officers and ASHA workers and adopted 30 TB patients under the “Ni-Kshay Mitra” initiative.
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