The US Agency for International Development will soon work with several groups in the country to fight the stigma associated with tuberculosis. The effort will focus, in particular, on the challenges women with TB face. At the TB Diagnostic Lab, USAID administrator Mark Green announced the initiative even as he said it would be a step towards 'intensifying' the partnership to create a tuberculosis-free India. Underscoring that TB was detectable and curable, he said, “Through this effort, partners will test new approaches to reaching women to ensure they have what they need to obtain accurate diagnoses and timely care. We will tap into the reach of civil-society organisations to share stories of life after TB.”
The collaborative effort is likely to see the launch of a mobile phone app which will help women receive care. Emphasis is also on access to early diagnosis and treatment.
Touching upon the stigma which women who have TB, Mr Green said, “When it is known that a woman has TB, she may sometimes be barred from the market where she sells her goods, or shunned altogether, eliminating her ability to buy and sell.” This leads to a loss of livelihood and can prevent women from accessing diagnosis and treatment. Mr Green said that India accounts for 25 % of the world’s TB cases and that each year, 4,20,000 people die of the disease. The USAID has invested $140 million in India at various levels to fight tuberculosis.
