Aadhaar must for TB patients to avail govt aid

NEW DELHI: The Union health ministry has made Aadhaar a compulsory document for tuberculosis patients to be able to avail treatment under the government’s Revised National Tuberculosis Control Programme (RNTCP).

“An individual eligible to receive the benefit under the scheme, is hereby, required to furnish proof of possession of Aadhaar number or undergo Aadhaar authentication,” a government notification said. This also means that patients suffering from TB will also be unable to get cash benefits under a central government scheme till they produce their Aadhaar card.

RNTCP under the National Health Mission for promotion of universal access to TB care provides for a conditional cash assistance. The beneficiaries include TB patients, private healthcare providers and treatment supporters.

“This notification will come into effect from the date of its publication in the Official Gazette in all the states and Union territory Administrations except Assam, Meghalaya and Jammu and Kashmir,” it added. India has 2.8 million cases of TB as of data from 2015.

However, the World Health Organisation (WHO) recently said that tuberculosis epidemic in India was “larger” than what had been previously estimated and asserted that the country is among those six countries which accounts for 60% of the 10.4 million new TB cases in 2015.

The ministry has asked patients without Aadhaar card to get themselves enrolled by August 31. It will also offer Aadhaar enrolment facilities for those who do not have an Aadhaar number. Till a patient gets the Aadhaar number, he or she can avail the benefits with the help of Aadhaar enrolment ID slip, or other government documents such as voter identity card, PAN card, etc.