Goa Carnival Float to Spread Awareness About Tuberculosis as Part of National TB Elimination Campaign
As part of the 100-day intensified campaign, the National Tuberculosis Elimination Program (NTEP) will feature a float in the Goa Carnival to promote awareness about TB and encourage active community involvement in its elimination.
3rd March 2025: As part of the ongoing National Tuberculosis Elimination Program (NTEP), a special float will be showcased during the Goa Carnival this year in Panjim, Margao, Vasco and Mapusa. The float aims to raise awareness about tuberculosis (TB) and promote community participation in the fight against this disease. The float is an integral part of the 100-day intensified TB elimination campaign leading up to World TB Day on March 24, 2025.
The float’s theme, aligned with this year’s World TB Day slogan “Yes! We Can End TB: Commit, Invest, Deliver,” highlights the vital role of community involvement (JanaBhagidari) in eliminating tuberculosis. Through vibrant visuals, the float will depict common symptoms of TB such as persistent cough with sputum, fever, weight loss,
night sweats, chest pain, loss of appetite, and swelling in any part of the body. It will also emphasise that TB diagnosis and treatment are completely free in Goa’s public and private sectors.
Dr. Manish Gaunekar, Chief Medical Officer, National TB Elimination Programme, stated, “Through the Carnival float, we want to spread awareness on TB and urge the public to come forward and get themselves screened if symptomatic. We also appeal to high-risk populations to get screened during the ongoing 100-day campaign even if asymptomatic.”
The Goa Carnival, known for its colorful display of creativity and culture, is the perfect platform to engage the public in TB awareness. NTEP’s float will not only highlight the symptoms of TB but also promote government initiatives such as the Nikshay Poshan Yojana, which provides a direct benefit transfer of ₹1000 per month to TB patients during their treatment. Additionally, the Nikshay Mitra Initiative under the Pradhan Mantri TB Mukt Bharat Abhiyaan encourages individuals, NGOs, and corporate bodies to provide nutritious food baskets to TB patients.
The float will also convey important preventive measures underway in Goa, including TB preventive therapy and the adult BCG vaccination campaign in South Goa. Volunteers accompanying the float will encourage the public to download the TB Arogya Sathi app, which provides information on TB symptoms, testing facilities, and treatment options in multiple languages.
Dr. Gaurish Ganjekar, Medical Officer of the National Tuberculosis Elimination Program (NTEP), stressed the importance of public engagement in the TB campaign, stating, “TB is a curable disease, and with community support, we can break the chain of transmission. Our float in the Goa Carnival aims to spread awareness and encourage individuals to come forward for testing and treatment.”
This year’s float continues the success of last year’s participation, which received significant appreciation for spreading awareness and reducing the stigma associated with TB.
Dadu Bandekar, ACSM Officer, National TB Elimination Programme, stated, “We provide free TB screening, diagnosis, treatment, and nutritional support for all TB patients in Goa. If you have symptoms like a cough lasting more than two weeks, fever, or weight loss, please get tested.”
The National Tuberculosis Elimination Program, operating under the National Health Mission, aims to eliminate TB in India by 2025. The ongoing 100-day TB elimination campaign in Goa, launched on December 7, 2024, is part of this larger mission, encouraging the public to undergo TB screening and promoting awareness on
prevention and treatment.
Together, we can eliminate TB through active community participation.
