Patiala, October 2, 2026 (Yes Punjab News)
Punjab Governor Gulab Chand Kataria has called for making the fight against tuberculosis (TB) a people’s movement, stressing the need for early diagnosis, timely treatment, nutritional support and collective participation to eliminate the disease.
The Governor was speaking at the inauguration of the 81st National Conference on Tuberculosis and Lung Diseases, NATCON-2026, at Government Medical College, Patiala, on Friday. The conference was inaugurated by Kataria along with Punjab Health and Family Welfare Minister Dr Balbir Singh.
Addressing the gathering, Kataria said eliminating TB was not solely the responsibility of the government or the Health Department. He called on all sections of society to work together to ensure that no TB patient was deprived of timely diagnosis and treatment, and urged people to actively participate in awareness and prevention efforts.
The Governor appreciated the contribution of the Tuberculosis Association of India, established in 1939, for its decades-long work in TB control, public awareness, medical education and scientific research. He encouraged the Association to publish booklets on TB in different Indian languages to help spread awareness among wider sections of the population.
Emphasising the importance of early identification, timely treatment and adequate nutritional support, Kataria said the government was extending assistance to TB patients through the ‘Nikshay Mitra’ scheme. He also acknowledged the support being provided to patients by the Indian Red Cross Society.
Expressing concern that the number of TB patients per lakh population in Punjab was higher than the national average, the Governor said the state had set a target of eliminating TB by 2030. Achieving this goal would require focused efforts to reach high-risk populations, ensure timely diagnosis, maintain continuity of treatment and provide adequate nutrition and social support to patients, he said.
Kataria noted that TB cases in India had declined by 21 per cent over the past decade, while 92 per cent of patients were now receiving treatment. He also highlighted a 28 per cent decline in the mortality rate, describing these developments as encouraging.
The Governor stressed the need to conduct TB screening among students in schools and colleges. Recalling that TB was once widely perceived as a disease that inevitably led to death, he said it was now treatable and patients could recover with appropriate care.
He said patients needed not only medical treatment and nutritious food but also respectful and dignified care. TB, he added, was not merely an infectious disease but a serious health challenge affecting individuals, their families and society as a whole.
Kataria said tackling the disease required collective action focused on early detection, timely treatment, contact tracing, preventive treatment, nutritional support, continuity of care and reducing the social stigma associated with TB.
Speaking on the occasion, Health and Family Welfare Minister Dr Balbir Singh said the Punjab Government, under the leadership of Chief Minister Bhagwant Singh Mann, was committed to the welfare of patients suffering from TB, HIV, hepatitis and other diseases.
He said the state government was providing nutritional support to patients and taking steps to facilitate ration cards for them. Dr Balbir Singh also appealed to the Governor to take up the matter of extending free treatment facilities at PGI Chandigarh to the 65 lakh families covered under the Chief Minister Health Scheme.
The Health Minister urged the Indian Tuberculosis Association and the medical fraternity to write to the Central Government and state governments, calling for appropriate measures to improve air quality across the country.
Reiterating the state government’s commitment to public welfare, Dr Balbir Singh said health and education were among the top priorities of the government led by Chief Minister Bhagwant Singh Mann.
The conference was attended by Dr Vishwa Katoch; Indian Tuberculosis Association Chairman Dr V.K. Vohra; NATCON-2026 President Dr Surya Kant; Scientific Committee Chairman Dr S.K. Jindal; Punjab State Red Cross Society Secretary Shivdular Singh Dhillon; Deputy Commissioner Dr Himanshu Aggarwal; SSP Dr Harmandeep Singh Hans; ADC Navreet Kaur Sekhon; Director Medical Education Dr Avnish Kumar; and Director-Principal Dr R.P.S. Sibia, among other dignitaries.
Welcoming the guests, Dr Vishal Chopra, Medical Superintendent of Rajindra Hospital and Organising Chairman, said nearly 500 delegates from across the country were participating in the conference. He noted that Patiala was hosting the event for the second time since 1956.
The delegates include pulmonologists, TB specialists, medical faculty, researchers and postgraduate students.
Organising Secretary Dr Kranti Garg, while proposing the vote of thanks, said the three-day conference would feature scientific sessions, expert lectures and research presentations. The programme would also include discussions on the latest advances in the diagnosis, treatment and prevention of tuberculosis and other respiratory diseases.
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