Manipur Governor Ajay Kumar Bhalla on Saturday, 3 October called for intensified tuberculosis (TB) case detection in remote and difficult-to-reach parts of Manipur, warning that the state's reported TB indicators may not fully capture the actual prevalence of the disease. His remarks came at a distribution ceremony for nutritional food baskets for TB patients held at MSFDS, Imphal.

Key Developments at the Imphal Ceremony

Governor Bhalla led the distribution of nutritional food baskets to TB patients and their family caregivers. He also handed over handheld AI-enabled X-ray machines to health officials and Deputy Commissioners from across the state, aimed at strengthening TB screening and early detection in areas that conventional health infrastructure struggles to reach.

The Governor specifically urged the Health Department and district authorities to ensure the effective and monitored deployment of these machines, stressing that regular tracking of their use and outcomes is essential to translating equipment provision into actual diagnostic gains.

NTPC's ₹2.9 Crore CSR Commitment

The nutritional support initiative is backed by National Thermal Power Corporation Limited (NTPC), participating as a Nikshay Mitra under the TB Mukt Bharat Abhiyan, which forms part of the National TB Elimination Programme. Under its Corporate Social Responsibility (CSR) initiative, NTPC has sanctioned approximately ₹2.9 crore to provide six months of nutritional assistance to around 1,800 TB patients and their families across all districts of Manipur.

NTPC Chairman and Managing Director Gurdeep Singh reaffirmed the corporation's commitment to the TB Mukt Bharat Abhiyan, describing the nutritional assistance as 'a meaningful intervention in supporting patients through their treatment journey.' He expressed readiness to extend support under the Nikshay Mitra initiative as additional cases are identified.

What the Governor Said

Bhalla welcomed NTPC's initiative and expressed hope that the nutritional support could be extended to cover more patients as fresh cases come to light. He urged community leaders and organisations to register as Nikshay Mitras and provide nutritional, emotional, and social backing to patients. He emphasised that eliminating TB requires a coordinated effort spanning government agencies, corporate partners, healthcare workers, and local communities.

Notably, the Governor's acknowledgement that reported figures 'may not fully reflect the actual prevalence' signals a policy-level concern: under-detection in remote geographies could mean Manipur's TB burden is larger than official numbers suggest.

State Administration's Response

Chief Secretary Rajeev Singh Thakur expressed appreciation to NTPC for its financial support, noting that the partnership 'significantly strengthens the state's TB elimination efforts.' His remarks underline the state government's view that corporate participation is now a structural component — not a supplementary one — of Manipur's TB response.

Broader Context and What Comes Next

India has set a target of eliminating TB by 2025 — five years ahead of the global Sustainable Development Goal deadline of 2030. Manipur's challenge with remote-area detection mirrors a nationwide pattern: tribal, hilly, and conflict-affected regions consistently report lower case-detection rates, which experts argue reflects access barriers rather than lower disease burden. The deployment of AI-enabled portable X-ray machines is part of a broader national push to close this detection gap. How effectively Manipur's district machinery deploys and monitors these devices will be a critical test of whether the equipment translates into outcomes.