Nikshay Mitra

Niakshay Mitra is a tuberculosis (TB) eradicating scheme launched in 2022 by Government of India to combat TB and eliminate the disease by 2025 from the country. Ending TB epidemic by 2030 is a health target of United Nations Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs). As a country which bears 26% of the total TB cases in the world, India has taken the most challenging task of eliminating TB by 2025, five years earlier than UN target through a multisectoral community collaboration. Tuberculosis is caused by bacteria (Mycobacterium tuberculosis) that affects the lungs and sometimes other parts of the body. The disease can easily spread from infected persons to others through cough droplets. Even though it is a highly infectious disease, it can be cured if treated on time.

According to World Health Organization (WHO), TB is the 13th leading cause of death and the second leading infectious killer after COVID-19 (above HIV/AIDS).

What is Nikshay Mitra

Nikshay Mitra is a multi sectoral community collaboration programme which allows corporates, governmental organizations, NGOs and individuals to adopt a TB patient and support them directly by providing nutritional support and vocational training for a livelihood. It is an upgraded version of Nikshay Poshan Yojana launched in 2018. Nutrition is an integral part of TB treatment. If patient do not get enough nutritious food, it may lead to weight loss, vomiting and sickness. TB medication is little bit expensive which consumes almost all of incomes of poor people and lasts for months or years. For the patients, to find a job is necessary to take care of their treatment expenses as well as family support. A donor can provide nutritional support, vocational support and diagnostic support to the adopted TB patient. A nutritional kit must include cereals, millets, milk and eggs (optional).