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Why Did Puducherry Become the First to Integrate TB Screening in Family Adoption?

Puducherry has taken a historic step in India’s fight against tuberculosis (TB) by becoming the first Union Territory to integrate TB screening into the Family Adoption Programme (FAP). This innovative approach involves medical students, colleges, and health departments working together to detect and treat TB early.

What Is the Family Adoption Programme?
The Family Adoption Programme (FAP) is a National Medical Commission (NMC) initiative where medical students adopt 3-5 families for three years, providing regular health check-ups and follow-ups.
In Puducherry, this programme now includes mandatory TB screening for all family members. If symptoms are found, students assist in diagnosis and treatment, ensuring timely medical intervention.

Why Is This Important for Competitive Exams?
Current Affairs: Questions on health schemes, TB elimination, and government initiatives are common in SSC, PSC, UPSC, and other exams.
Innovative Policies: Puducherry’s model may be replicated nationally, making it a potential topic for essays and interviews.
Medical & Social Awareness: Understanding community health programmes is crucial for NID, NIFT, and design entrance exams with social impact themes.

How Medical Students Are Making a Difference
Dr. Kavita Vasudevan (Head of Community Medicine, IGMC Puducherry) explains that medical students:
Screen families for TB symptoms.
Help diagnose and treat detected cases.
Improve early detection, reducing TB-related deaths.

Verbal Autopsy: A New Tool to Understand TB Deaths
Puducherry has introduced Verbal Autopsy, where doctors interview families of deceased TB patients to identify:
Patient-related delays (late treatment seeking).
Systemic failures (diagnosis delays, lack of healthcare access).
Early findings show many deaths occur within 14 days of diagnosis, stressing the need for faster medical intervention.

Medical Colleges: The Backbone of TB Elimination
Puducherry’s 9 medical colleges contribute 45% of TB notifications through:
Active Case Finding (ACF) drives.
Free diagnostic facilities & dedicated TB beds.
Awareness campaigns (IEC activities).

Advanced TB Detection Methods
High-risk groups are identified using:
AI-powered handheld X-rays.
NAAT (Nucleic Acid Amplification Test).
Patients with co-morbidities receive continuous follow-ups.

National TB Elimination Programme (NTEP) in Puducherry
Launched in 2004, Puducherry’s NTEP covers 13.92 lakh people with:
7 TB Units & 28 Diagnostic Centres.
1 Intermediate Reference Lab (IRL) for advanced testing.

Sample Questions & Answers for Competitive Exams
Q1. Which Indian UT first integrated TB screening into the Family Adoption Programme?
Ans: Puducherry.
Q2. What is the role of medical students in Puducherry’s TB elimination drive?
Ans: They screen adopted families, assist in diagnosis, and ensure treatment.
Q3. What is Verbal Autopsy in TB control?
Ans: A method where doctors interview families of deceased TB patients to identify causes of death.
Q4. Which advanced tools are used for TB detection in Puducherry?
Ans: AI-enabled handheld X-rays and NAAT molecular testing.
Q5. When was NTEP launched in Puducherry?
Ans: February 20, 2004.