20 June 2024: A healthcare company is proud to announce the extension of its Tuberculosis (TB) screening under its CSR campaign to the Kutch District of Gujarat with its implementation partner, Apollo Telemedicine Network Foundation, further broadening the scope of its community health initiatives that are already underway in Valsad and Banaskantha.
This significant step aligns with the commitment to the national TB elimination campaign, ‘TB Harega Desh Jeetega,’ reinforcing the dedication to combatting TB across India. The National TB Elimination Program’s India TB Report 2024 reveals that 25.55 lakh TB cases were notified last year, marking the highest number since the program’s inception in the 1960s.
Despite positive trends, the estimated number of TB cases remains high at 27.8 lakh in 2023. TB-related deaths remained unchanged at 3.2 lakh. These figures underscore the substantial TB burden in India and the need for sustained efforts to reduce both incidence and mortality.
With India bearing the highest burden of TB globally, it is crucial to adopt a cohesive and robust approach to eradicate this disease. FUJIFILM India’s expanded efforts in Kutch reflect their resolve to contribute to the national goal of eradicating TB. The campaign emphasizes the importance of early detection, continuous awareness, and comprehensive treatment to curb the spread of tuberculosis.
Building on their past initiatives, FUJIFILM India has successfully conducted numerous screenings and awareness programs in Valsad and Banaskantha, reaching thousands of individuals and providing critical support in the fight against TB. Since the inception of the TB screening CSR initiative in Gujarat, FUJIFILM India has been able to screen 8,218 individuals. Their innovative mobile TB diagnostic units, including the advanced FDR X-Air, have played a vital role in these efforts, ensuring that even the most remote communities get a comprehensive active case-finding project on Tuberculosis.
Mr. Kai Yoshida, Business Advisor, Medical Systems Division, FUJIFILM India, shared his enthusiasm – “At FUJIFILM India, we are deeply committed to leveraging our technological expertise to improve community health outcomes. Extending our TB screening under the CSR campaign to the Kutch District of Gujarat is a testament to providing advanced diagnostic solutions and comprehensive healthcare services to communities that are far from the reach of modern healthcare. The FDR X-Air, a state-of-the-art portable X-ray machine, is designed to offer high-quality imaging in a compact and mobile form for TB screening. This advanced technology will allow for quick and accurate TB screening in remote regions, significantly improving early detection rates. The introduction of a new van equipped with the FDR X-Air into the Kutch District of Gujarat will enhance FUJIFILM India’s capacity to deliver timely diagnostic services and expand the reach of our TB campaign under the CSR project.”
Mr. Abhi Shekhar Singh, Vertical Head, Corporate Communications and CSR, FUJIFILM India, added, “My extensive travel and field visits to Valsad and Banaskantha motivated me to take the challenge to expand our active case finding project of TB Detection to the largest district in India which is 45,674 square kilometers and poses a challenge to any public health program to manage its day-to-day operations. I am confident that the professional team of Apollo Telemedicine Network Foundation along with our robust handheld x-ray device, FDR X-Air will triumph over all the hostilities, and irrespective of the unforgiving terrain and climate in the region, we will be able to serve the people in our mission to support the eradication of TB from India. As a leading healthcare company in India, FUJIFILM India is committed to upholding the Fujifilm Group’s purpose which is “Giving our World More Smiles” and our efforts to take difficult challenges for the social good is a living example of that.”
FUJIFILM India remains steadfast in its mission to promote health and well-being through its various CSR initiatives. Their commitment to fighting TB and supporting community health initiatives is unwavering as they continue to collaborate with local health authorities and organizations to ensure that their efforts yield tangible and lasting results.
