NEWS –  The Union Health Ministry increased the monthly nutrition support for TB patients from ₹500 to ₹1,000. It is aimed at improving the nutritional intake of patients under treatment.

HIGHLIGHTS

Inclusion of Household Contacts

• All household contacts of TB patients are now covered under the Pradhan Mantri TB Mukt Bharat Abhiyaan.
• These contacts are eligible for social support from the community.

Energy Dense Nutrition Supplementation

• Introduced for all patients with a Body Mass Index (BMI) less than 18.5.
• Provides essential nutrients to underweight TB patients.

Expansion of Ni-kshay Mitra Initiative

• Coverage extended to family members of TB patients under the Ni-kshay Mitra initiative.
• Ensures nutritional support of ₹3,000 to ₹6,000 under the Yojana for all patients.

NI-KSHAY POSHAN YOJANA (NPY)

• Launched in 2018 by the Ministry of Health and Family Welfare.
• Aims to support every TB patient by providing Direct Benefit Transfer (DBT) of ₹500 per month for nutritional needs.
• Since its launch, ₹1,488 crore has been distributed to 5.73 million beneficiaries.