Health screening camps for tuberculosis are being conducted in 2,492 villages across Telangana as part of efforts to eliminate the disease, Health Minister C. Damodar Raja Narasimha said at a review meeting, convened by Union Health Minister J.P. Nadda, on Friday.

During the meeting, Mr. Nadda directed States to ensure that all suspected tuberculosis cases undergo diagnostic tests, including chest X-rays and sputum examinations. Addressing the meeting, Mr. Narasimha said the State government was carrying out village-level screening drives to identify TB cases early and reiterated its commitment to making Telangana free of the disease.

The Union Health Minister said that under the Nikshay Poshan Yojana, patients diagnosed with tuberculosis receive ₹1,000 per month to meet their nutritional requirements in addition to medical treatment. Mr. Narasimha said the State government was also providing food baskets to TB patients to ensure adequate nutrition.

The Minister informed the Union Health Minister that measures were being implemented to reduce maternal and neonatal mortality rates under various maternal and child healthcare programmes. He said Rashtriya Bal Swasthya Karyakram (RBSK) teams were conducting health screenings for children aged 0 to 18 years.

“High-risk pregnancies are being identified at an early stage and birth planning facilities are being made available to expectant mothers at government hospitals across the State. Four mandatory antenatal care check-ups were being carried out,” he added.