Mumbai Many tuberculosis sufferers within the metropolis haven’t obtained ₹500 money for his or her vitamin from the federal government for the previous 5 months, whereas some sufferers have been receiving the allowance abruptly.
The month-to-month incentive underneath the Niskhay Poshan Yojana began by the Centre in 2018 is given within the type of Direct Profit Switch (DBT) to the Aadhar linked financial institution accounts of TB sufferers. Civic authorities stated that the money move was affected as a result of points with the one nodal system and it’s being resolved.
“It’s a very small quantity, however one thing is best than nothing,” stated Yunus Khan (31), whose spouse Sehnaz has been affected by TB since 2016 and the illness is now in an extensively-drug-resistant (XDR) part. Yunus earns round ₹400 to ₹500 per day by taking on work at building websites. He makes use of the dietary incentive to purchase some groceries through the month. “The cash has not been credited for the previous 4 to 5 months,” he stated.
One other TB affected person Sharmila Rajbhar additionally stated that she had not obtained the dietary incentive since January this yr. “The civic officers had helped me open an account within the Kotak Mahindra financial institution and the motivation will get credited in it,” stated Rajbhar, a resident of Bhandup who was recognized with TB in 2005. “Since I don’t have a passbook, I’ve to bodily go to the financial institution to test the credit score. I’ve made a number of rounds prior to now few months, however the cash has not been credited,” she stated. Rajbhar stated that she has to make use of the cash to purchase outdoors drugs prescribed by the docs.
Yearly, 50,000 to 60,000 new TB instances are recognized in Mumbai. As of 2021, town had 5,861 drug-resistant TB sufferers on remedy. Good vitamin is essential for TB sufferers to deal with the medicines and their unwanted side effects.
“There was some concern with the direct profit switch to TB sufferers however it’s being resolved,” stated Dr Mangala Gomare, govt well being officer. “From August-September 2021 to March this yr, there have been some problems with funds, and there have been additionally points with the one nodal system by which the funds are dispersed from the Centre,” she stated.
Based on Gomare, there are about 60,000 to 70,000 beneficiaries of the scheme within the state and their particulars are put up within the system in batches. “Even when one affected person’s data is put up wrongly by any of the districts, the whole batch is getting rejected by the system. Now we have taken up this concern with the Nikshay crew in addition to the state officers and have been informed that it’ll take a few month to resolve it,” stated Gomare.
