HC asks Centre to enumerate steps to eradicate TB in India

New Delhi, Jan 10 (UNI) The Delhi High Court today asked the Union Government and the Director TB Control Programme to enumerate the steps taken to eradicate tuberculosis(TB), which according to a petition has claimed more than 15 million people in the last three decades.

A divison bench of Chief Justice M K Sharma and Justice Sanjeev Khanna directed the Union Ministry of Health and the Director TB Control Programme to file their replies with facts and figures by April 18, the next date of hearing.

In a PIL, TB Free India Foundation and Dr Raman Kakar alleged that the government was not serious about initiating steps to eradicate TB from India.

The Government should ensure timely and accurate diagnosis; and proper treatment of the large number of TB patients in the country, said the petition filed by Counsel O P Saxena.

While giving details, the petition said, ''One person in the country dies every minute of TB.'' The country had at least one third of the total TB patients in the world with the number exceeding 14 million, said the petition.

UNI