The Federation of Indian Chambers of Commerce & Industry (FICCI) on Tuesday announced its commitment to adopt 100,000 tuberculosis (TB) patients under the government’s flagship Tuberculosis Mukt Bharat Abhiyaan, a nationwide initiative aimed at eliminating TB from India by 2025.
The announcement follows the launch of the programme by President Droupadi Murmu on September 9, 2022. The Abhiyaan seeks to unite community stakeholders — including corporates, civil society, and citizens — to support TB patients and accelerate India’s progress towards ending the disease.
The initiative is part of Prime Minister Narendra Modi’s call in 2018 at the Delhi End TB Summit to eliminate TB in India five years ahead of the global UN Sustainable Development Goal (SDG) target of 2030.
As part of the Abhiyaan, the President also unveiled the Ni-kshay Mitra initiative, which allows individuals, corporates, NGOs, and other stakeholders to register as donors and extend three forms of support to TB patients:
- Nutritional aid (such as food baskets or supplements),
- Additional diagnostic support, and
- Vocational assistance to improve livelihood opportunities.
These donors are referred to as Ni-kshay Mitras. The portal provides a streamlined platform for contributions and ensures that patients undergoing TB treatment receive comprehensive assistance.
Recognising the importance of this mission, FICCI has pledged to adopt one lakh TB patients, leveraging the collective strength of its members across industries. The commitment was made after a meeting between FICCI’s Health Services leadership team and Union Health Minister Dr. Mansukh Mandaviya.
FICCI stated that by becoming Ni-kshay Mitras, its member organisations will actively contribute to the government’s effort to eliminate TB, thus aligning with the broader national health agenda and showcasing industry’s role in creating a healthier India.
