Assessing the TB Mukt Gram Panchayat Program in Rajasthan: A Way toward Tuberculosis Elimination.

Background: The TB Mukt Gram Panchayat program was launched by the National Health Mission in Rajasthan on August 15, 2022 to engage Panchayati Raj Institutions at the grass-root level to strengthen the fight against tuberculosis (TB). This study was conducted to assess the progress and achievements of this program in Rajasthan.

Methodology: The methodology involved the collaborative development of assessment criteria by expert stakeholders to assess the TB-free status of Gram Panchayats (GPs)/Wards (WAs) in Rajasthan. Two stages were conducted: shortlisting based on specific criteria, including active case finding and treatment linkage, and final assessment using a standardized questionnaire. Indicators assessed included program delivery, active case finding, community awareness, community support, district capacity, and TB burden, each with defined qualifying criteria and achievement scores, yielding final scores for each GP.

Results: In the context of the GP/WA TB-Free Declaration Status, the results depict a mix of statuses, including "Progress toward TB-free status" and "Achieved TB-free status." Out of 51 GPs/WAs, 29 achieved TB-free status, 13 were in progress toward TB-free status, and the rest were not qualified, having incomplete coverage.

Conclusion: This study highlights the progress in Rajasthan's TB Mukt Gram Panchayat program and exemplifies stakeholder collaboration across sectors in developing a verification framework for TB Mukt Gram Panchayat claims. Moreover, this novel assessment framework offers a valuable tool for other states to monitor their progress toward TB elimination.