Under the Call to Action for a TB-Free India, The Union has scaled up a partnership with the Rotary Foundation (India), increasing its collaboration from seven districts supporting TB awareness activities to 32 in the past 10 months. Activities include organising health camps, providing nutritional support to tuberculosis (TB) patients, and mobilising the network of Rotary clubs and other groups to raise awareness of TB and conduct patient outreach.
On 21 July, Rotary India brought together newly appointed ‘district governors’ – elected members of the community who play an important leadership role in each districts’ club – from the 32 collaborating Rotary districts. The governors and members of Rotary’s National TB Control Committee met with representatives from the Ministry of Health and Family Welfare, the United States Agency for International Development (USAID) and The Union to discuss how Rotary India can scale up efforts to support TB care, prevention and elimination in their local communities.
Rotary India made significant contributions to the elimination of polio in the country and the group hopes to bring this same energy and commitment to the fight against TB. Members from across the country pledged to create awareness of TB and support case detection by mobilising their vast network of community members across the country to get involved.
This partnership was formed through the Challenge TB programme, implemented by The Union South-East Asia Office and funded by USAID.