News & Announcement
JOSH – Joint Squad for Health Launched in Pakyong to Strengthen TB Elimination Efforts
Pakyong, 8 October: A significant initiative towards strengthening the fight against Tuberculosis (TB) in Pakyong District was undertaken today with the launch of JOSH – Joint Squad for Health, a dedicated team aimed at supporting and strengthening community-level efforts for TB screening, early detection, referral and prevention.
The programme provided an opportunity for detailed discussions on the ongoing Ayushman Arogya Shivirs (AAS) being conducted across the district. The team reviewed the progress made so far and discussed the challenges contributing to the lower-than-expected performance and screening coverage. Various field-level issues and bottlenecks were highlighted, followed by discussions on practical strategies to overcome these challenges and improve the overall performance of the ongoing screening activities.
CMO, Dr. Madan Mani Dhakal, emphasised the importance of ensuring that screening efforts do not remain limited only to the already mapped vulnerable populations. He stressed the need to give special priority to individuals and vulnerable groups who may have been left out during the initial mapping exercise, so that missed populations are identified and brought within the screening and TB care continuum.
Dr. Dhakal also presented and introduced the JOSH team members representing all six blocks of Sikkim, highlighting their important role in strengthening community mobilisation, supporting screening activities and ensuring better outreach to populations that may otherwise remain unreached.
The meeting was further enriched by the presence of Respected ADC, Pakyong, Mr Pulkit, IAS, who appreciated the objectives of the meeting and gained a clear understanding of the challenges currently being faced during implementation of the TB screening activities. He assured his support towards addressing the manpower-related gaps and expressed his commitment to facilitating additional manpower in areas where shortages are significantly affecting programme implementation and performance.
The discussions focused not only on identifying gaps but also on developing practical and coordinated solutions to improve screening coverage, strengthen field-level implementation and ensure that no vulnerable or missed individual is left behind in the state’s journey towards TB elimination.
As part of the programme, another significant achievement of Pakyong District was recognised through the felicitation of two TB-Free Blocks.
Out of the six blocks that were declared TB FREE All over Sikkim,Pakyong District had two blocks declared as TB FREE.Those two blocks were felicitated during today’s programme in recognition of their achievement and the collective efforts of their teams and stakeholders.
The respective Block Development Officers were felicitated:
Mr Kewal Sharma, BDO, Parakha BAC
Mr Sangay Tamang, BDO, Pakyong BAC
Their recognition serves as an encouragement to all stakeholders and reinforces the message that sustained community participation, strong leadership, effective screening and coordinated efforts can bring Sikkim closer to the goal of TB elimination.
The launch of JOSH – Joint Squad for Health thus marked an important milestone in Sikkim’s TB elimination journey. With strengthened coordination, improved manpower support, targeted screening of missed and vulnerable populations, and greater community participation, the state reaffirmed its commitment towards achieving a TB-free Sikkim.
The programme concluded with a renewed commitment from all stakeholders to work collectively, address existing gaps and transform every opportunity for screening into an opportunity for early detection, timely treatment and prevention of TB transmission.
The programme provided an opportunity for detailed discussions on the ongoing Ayushman Arogya Shivirs (AAS) being conducted across the district. The team reviewed the progress made so far and discussed the challenges contributing to the lower-than-expected performance and screening coverage. Various field-level issues and bottlenecks were highlighted, followed by discussions on practical strategies to overcome these challenges and improve the overall performance of the ongoing screening activities.
CMO, Dr. Madan Mani Dhakal, emphasised the importance of ensuring that screening efforts do not remain limited only to the already mapped vulnerable populations. He stressed the need to give special priority to individuals and vulnerable groups who may have been left out during the initial mapping exercise, so that missed populations are identified and brought within the screening and TB care continuum.
Dr. Dhakal also presented and introduced the JOSH team members representing all six blocks of Sikkim, highlighting their important role in strengthening community mobilisation, supporting screening activities and ensuring better outreach to populations that may otherwise remain unreached.
The meeting was further enriched by the presence of Respected ADC, Pakyong, Mr Pulkit, IAS, who appreciated the objectives of the meeting and gained a clear understanding of the challenges currently being faced during implementation of the TB screening activities. He assured his support towards addressing the manpower-related gaps and expressed his commitment to facilitating additional manpower in areas where shortages are significantly affecting programme implementation and performance.
The discussions focused not only on identifying gaps but also on developing practical and coordinated solutions to improve screening coverage, strengthen field-level implementation and ensure that no vulnerable or missed individual is left behind in the state’s journey towards TB elimination.
As part of the programme, another significant achievement of Pakyong District was recognised through the felicitation of two TB-Free Blocks.
Out of the six blocks that were declared TB FREE All over Sikkim,Pakyong District had two blocks declared as TB FREE.Those two blocks were felicitated during today’s programme in recognition of their achievement and the collective efforts of their teams and stakeholders.
The respective Block Development Officers were felicitated:
Mr Kewal Sharma, BDO, Parakha BAC
Mr Sangay Tamang, BDO, Pakyong BAC
Their recognition serves as an encouragement to all stakeholders and reinforces the message that sustained community participation, strong leadership, effective screening and coordinated efforts can bring Sikkim closer to the goal of TB elimination.
The launch of JOSH – Joint Squad for Health thus marked an important milestone in Sikkim’s TB elimination journey. With strengthened coordination, improved manpower support, targeted screening of missed and vulnerable populations, and greater community participation, the state reaffirmed its commitment towards achieving a TB-free Sikkim.
The programme concluded with a renewed commitment from all stakeholders to work collectively, address existing gaps and transform every opportunity for screening into an opportunity for early detection, timely treatment and prevention of TB transmission.
