DC reviews implementation of NTEP in Erstwhile Doda District

• Assesses staff requirement, TB management success rates    

DODA: Deputy Commissioner Doda, Harvinder Singh, who is also Chairman of the District TB Control Society, presided over a key review meeting to discuss extension of the contracts of staff working under the National Tuberculosis Elimination Program (NTEP). The primary agenda was to consider extending these contracts up to March 31, 2025, for the erstwhile District Doda, aligning with the program’s objectives for the year 2024-25.

Senior health officials including the Chief Medical Officers of Doda and Kishtwar, the Medical Superintendent of GMC Doda, the District Immunization Officer Doda, and District TB Officers from Doda, Kishtwar, and Ramban attended the meeting. Additional attendees included Block Medical Officers, Dr. Ahamar Azad (TB Consultant), and Dr. Suresh Kotwal, a Pulmonologist and Community Medicine Professor at GMC Doda. These stakeholders contributed essential insights into staffing needs, resource allocation, and monitoring for effective TB control across the district.

The DC emphasized the importance of sustained efforts to eradicate tuberculosis, directing officers to process the contractual extensions according to NTEP guidelines. He highlighted the need for coordinated district-wide initiatives, particularly enhancing staffing and resources to support the program.

Detailed discussions reviewed TB testing rates, laboratory infrastructure, and TB management success rates across the region, with officials presenting an overview of the current TB status, challenges, and progress made under NTEP. In conclusion, all officers were instructed to expedite the necessary documentation for a smooth extension process. DC Doda encouraged continuous monitoring of the program’s progress, focusing on overcoming challenges and achieving the district's TB eradication targets.