Gujarat to give nutrition snacks to underweight TB patients, children under 14
Synopsis
Gujarat is rolling out Ready-to-Eat Nutrition Snacks for underweight TB patients and children under 14 — a clinically targeted move that addresses one of the biggest drivers of treatment failure. Paired with 100 new TrueNAT machines and 333 portable X-ray units for door-to-door screening, the state is making its most comprehensive push yet under the TB-Mukt Bharat Abhiyan.
Key Takeaways
Gujarat will provide Ready-to-Eat Nutrition Snacks for six months to TB patients weighing under 42 kg and all children below 14 years .
100 new TrueNAT machines will be procured in 2026-27 for talukas and high-burden districts to enable 100% upfront NAAT testing.
333 portable hand-held X-ray machines will be deployed for door-to-door TB screening.
Gujarat currently operates 2,351 microscopy centres , 74 CBNAAT machines , and 386 TrueNAT machines .
Governor Acharya Devvrat called for TB elimination to become a mass movement; CM Bhupendra Patel directed officials to ensure timely treatment for all patients.
TB diagnosis and treatment are available free of cost at all sub-centres and government hospitals across the state.
The Gujarat government has announced it will distribute Ready-to-Eat Nutrition Snacks for six months to adult tuberculosis patients weighing under 42 kilograms and all children below the age of 14, in a bid to improve treatment outcomes under the TB-Mukt Bharat Abhiyan. The decision was unveiled at a high-level review meeting held at Lok Bhavan, Gandhinagar, on Monday, 18 May, attended by Governor Acharya Devvrat and Chief Minister Bhupendra Patel.
Key Announcements from the Review Meeting
Beyond nutritional support, the state government said it will procure 100 new TrueNAT machines during 2026-27 for deployment across talukas and high-burden districts, with the goal of achieving 100 per cent upfront NAAT testing. An additional 333 portable hand-held X-ray machines will be deployed for door-to-door screening of suspected TB patients — a move aimed at reaching populations that may not access fixed health facilities.
What the Government Said
Governor Acharya Devvrat, addressing the meeting, called for the tuberculosis elimination drive to be turned into a mass movement. He directed officials to show no laxity in TB control and urged greater public awareness about the disease, including awareness around de-addiction among TB patients — a known risk factor for poor treatment adherence.
Chief Minister Bhupendra Patel directed officials to ensure that 'timely and best possible treatment' reaches every TB patient through an effective and accurate system.
Gujarat's Existing TB Infrastructure
According to the state government, tuberculosis diagnosis and treatment are currently available free of cost at all sub-centres and government hospitals across Gujarat. The state presently operates 2,351 microscopy centres, three TB culture laboratories, 74 CBNAAT machines, and 386 TrueNAT machines. The addition of 100 more TrueNAT units would bring the state's molecular diagnostic capacity to 486 machines, significantly expanding access in underserved talukas.
The Broader TB-Mukt Bharat Context
The TB-Mukt Bharat Abhiyan is part of the Union government's nationwide campaign to eliminate tuberculosis from India. Nutrition supplementation is a clinically recognised intervention — underweight patients face higher rates of treatment failure and relapse, making the snack programme a direct lever on cure rates. This comes amid India's push to eliminate TB by 2025, a target that health experts have noted is ambitious given the country's TB burden, which remains among the highest globally. Gujarat's expanded measures signal a state-level effort to accelerate progress beyond the national baseline.
Point of View
And Gujarat's decision to target those below 42 kg is evidence-aligned. What is less clear is whether six months of snacks will be sustained beyond the initial cohort or tied to treatment completion tracking. The simultaneous deployment of 333 portable X-ray units for door-to-door screening is the more structurally significant announcement: it addresses the detection gap that has long undermined India's TB numbers. Whether these machines come with trained operators and follow-up pathways will determine if the investment translates into actual case-finding or merely optics.
NationPress
6 Aug 2026
Frequently Asked Questions
Who will receive nutrition snacks under Gujarat's new TB scheme?
Adult TB patients weighing less than 42 kilograms and all children below the age of 14 will receive Ready-to-Eat Nutrition Snacks for six months under the scheme. The initiative is part of Gujarat's expanded effort under the TB-Mukt Bharat Abhiyan to improve treatment outcomes.
What is the TB-Mukt Bharat Abhiyan?
The TB-Mukt Bharat Abhiyan is the Union government's nationwide campaign to eliminate tuberculosis from India. Gujarat's latest measures — including nutrition support, new diagnostic machines, and door-to-door screening — are part of the state's contribution to this national drive.
How many new TrueNAT machines will Gujarat add?
Gujarat will procure 100 new TrueNAT machines during 2026-27, targeting talukas and high-burden districts to achieve 100 per cent upfront NAAT testing. The state currently has 386 TrueNAT machines in operation.
What is the door-to-door TB screening plan in Gujarat?
The state will deploy 333 portable hand-held X-ray machines for door-to-door screening of suspected TB patients. This is designed to reach individuals who may not access fixed health facilities for diagnosis.
Is TB treatment free in Gujarat?
Yes, tuberculosis diagnosis and treatment are available free of cost at all sub-centres and government hospitals across Gujarat, according to the state government.
