Odisha Govt Demands Centre to Supply TB Drugs Urgently  

Bhubaneswar: The Odisha government has demanded an urgent supply of TB drugs from the Centre for implementation of the National TB Elimination Programme (NTEP).

Odisha Minister of Parliamentary Affairs and Health & Family Welfare Niranjan Pujari wrote a letter to the Union Minister of Health and Family Welfare Mansukh Mandaviya regarding it on Monday.

In the letter Pujari wrote, “Since February 2023, there has been inadequate supply of anti-TB drugs from the Central TB Division, which has affected implementation of the programme in the State”.

He added that the state authorities have indented the drugs as per their requirement from time to time, but its supply has been grossly inadequate. An attempt was made by the state to procure the drugs locally but it was not available in the market, he said.

Stating that the matter has been brought to the notice of the Centre in various meetings, discussions and through letters from Director, Public Health and Mission Director, National Health Mission, Pujari requested the Union Minister to look into the matter urgently and take appropriate steps for early supply of TB drugs to the date.