Shillong: In a bid to raise awareness on Tuberculosis (TB) across rural Meghalaya, the Meghalaya Rural Bank (MRB) has taken up the initiative of spreading awareness messages.
The Meghalaya Rural Bank has started displaying TB awareness messages in English, Garo, and Khasi languages on the bank’s passbooks.
This was informed by MRB chairman Ashish Yadav during an event on July 13 organised by the State Health Society about the “CSR Engagement Initiative – For Dissemination of TB Messages”.
Yadav said the initiative is a part of the National Tuberculosis Elimination Programme.
The Meghalaya Rural Bank will address the issue of Tuberculosis in Meghalaya and will work to mitigate the social stigma associated with the disease.
As part of the initiative, the bank has printed over 10,000 passbooks with TB messages.
The passbooks will be distributed across all the branches in the state. The passbooks printed with TB messages were distributed to ten beneficiaries during the event.
Among the beneficiaries, three are currently undertaking treatment for TB and one is a TB Champion who is now advocating with other TB patients.
“The MRB’s association with the State’s TB elimination efforts will lead to TB Free Meghalaya and TB Free India,” Yadav said.
State TB Officer Dr. M Syiemlieh hailed the Meghalaya Rural Bank for the initiative to disseminate TB messages in the beneficiaries’ passbook.
Syiemlieh said the inclusion of TB messages in the passbooks will serve as a powerful tool in raising awareness about TB.
“By depicting pictures and providing basic information about TB symptoms, these passbooks have become life-saving educational resources,” she said.
Dr. Syiemlieh also urged all the beneficiaries, who have received the new passbook with TB information, to share the TB message with family and community.
On TB scenario in Meghalaya, in 2024, from January to June, the State TB Office has registered 2,305 TB cases as compared to 2023, where 4,971 TB cases were notified.
Highlighting the multi-sectoral approach for TB, Dr. Syiemlieh said several sectors can play pivotal role to accelerate progress in TB awareness and mitigation.
She said in Meghalaya, since the launch of this initiative until June 2024, around 6,666 nutritional food baskets have been distributed, and around 2,203 TB patients have received support in the state.
She also urged everyone to step forward as donors or Nikshay Mitras to support TB patients across the state.
The event was attended by health officials from State and district TB offices, officials from Meghalaya Rural Bank, World Health Organisation, passbook holder beneficiaries, among others.
