https://indianmasterminds.com

ADVERTISEMENT
ADVERTISEMENT

Himachal’s Una Adopts AI to Eliminate TB

Led by District Collector Raghav Sharma the Una administration is using a new AI tool to every doorstep to detect the TB vulnerable in the industrial zone
Indian Masterminds Stories

Una district in Himachal Pradesh is using advanced technology like Artificial Intelligence to eliminate Tuberculosis that kills many each year. The state government aims to eradicate the disease by 2024, a year ahead of the national deadline.

The southwestern district of the Himalayan state that shares its border with Punjab, experiences a higher number of cases of the deadly disease due to its industrial nature.

Mr. Raghav Sharma, DC Una, told Indian Masterminds, “The incidences of TB in our district is more than the state’s average.” 

He attributed the industrial clusters of the district for the numbers. Mehatpur, Gagret, Tahliwal and Amb are main industrial centres in Una.

There is a high floating population of manual laborers who cater to both agricultural and industrial units in the zone. These labourers mostly live in slums in unhygienic conditions. “This population is vulnerable to the disease and the district records more cases than other places in Himachal,” the officer added.

The administration has realised that the devil is in the detection. The sooner they can identify the patients the easier it will be to tackle the problem. 

AI TECHNOLOGY

DC Mr Sharma has replaced the earlier verbal screening with the new AI version that has also ended any misreporting.

“The earlier diagnosis process caused issues like misreporting, and miscommunication from the patient,” the officer points out. The new detection procedure has also put an end to unending tests. The new tool procured by the administration is called Handheld X-Ray (Battery Operated X Ray Machine with Flat Panel Detector) which is equipped with AI technology.

Using technology to tackle TB

The screening teams use it to conduct door-to-door screening of vulnerable populations living in the urban slums. The camera size device will conduct the chest x-ray of the person standing and after the picture is uploaded wirelessly to the laptop which has an AI-enabled software.

Mr. Raghav said, “As the AI has been trained on a large set of images of TB patients, the image instantly gets processed by the AI and quick result of whether the patient is diagnosed with TB or not is received.”

“After procuring this machine from HPCL through CSR last year we screened around 3,800 people. Out of them, 100 were suspected to have the disease by the AI. After further analysis, seven were diagnosed with TB,” the district collector further said.

What is interesting is all seven cases were detected very early and they had no symptoms.

Quick results

He is satisfied as not only has the technology helped in screening within seconds but has also detected the patients faster to cure them on time and thus reducing it from spreading further.

Low-dose radiation exposure (6mA) and high-resolution imaging capability of the machine increases its
utility in the field, said Mr Sharma.

Each screening team is composed of one X-Ray technician, a local ASHA and health worker. They carry
out verbal screening for signs/ symptoms suggestive of TB and offer upfront chest X-Ray to all eligible
persons after ruling out medical contradictions.

Since the X-Ray machine is portable, the issue of accessibility in remote areas is addressed in other geographies of the country as well, the officer proposed.

INITIATIVES

The district administration has undertaken three steps. Firstly, under the Ni-kshay Mitra Scheme of the central government, the administration has partnered with industries in providing nutritional support to the TB patients. Around 435 out of a total of 715 patients are on nutritional support right now.
Secondly, hygiene kits were being provided to all patients and thirdly a monthly allowance of Rs 1,500 by
the state government is helping them financially.

As per the Ministry of Health & Family Welfare, this effort by the Una administration featured in the Government of India’s TB Report 2023. 


Indian Masterminds Stories
ADVERTISEMENT
ADVERTISEMENT
Related Stories
ADVERTISEMENT
ADVERTISEMENT
NEWS
IRSSE (Indian Railway Service of Signal Engineers) officer
IRSSE Gaurav Govil Debarred from Central Deputation for 5 Years Over Non-Compliance with CVO Appointment
Delhi High Court-resized-DelhiHC
Faith vs Discipline: Delhi HC Backs Army in Termination of Officer, Upholds Dismissal For Refusing Religious Parade Participation
IRS Officer Indian revenue Services
Senior IRS Officer Caught in Bribery Case: ₹25 Lakh Seized at Mohali Residence, ₹45 Lakh Demanded – Know the Full Story
PNB Housing Finanace
PNB Housing Finance Elevates Bhavya Taneja as Chief Marketing Officer (CMO) - Know More About Him
Air Marshal Jasvir Singh Mann
Air Marshal Jasvir Singh Mann Takes Over as Senior Air Staff Officer, Western Air Command - Know More About Him
Rajgir Sports
Bihar’s Mega Sports Push: Playgrounds, Stadiums & Talent Hunt Transform State; Over 50 Lakh Students Join
Indian Oil IOCL
Indian Oil (IOCL) Finalizes LCOH for India’s Largest Green Hydrogen Plant at Panipat Refinery - Details Inside
RECPDCL Handover WRNES Talegaon Power Transmission Limited SPV to Adani Energy
RECPDCL Hands Over WRNES Talegaon Power Transmission SPV to Adani Energy Solutions - All Details Inside
ADVERTISEMENT
ADVERTISEMENT
Videos
IAS Tushar G Nikhare
Modernising Governance: A Digital Transformation in Gangtok
IMG-20250523-WA0036
Abhishek Singh's SECRET: Vipassana, Anthropology & Smart Answer Writing | Video Interview 
Madhav Agarwal UPSC
From Gwalior to the Top 20: What Drove Finance Pro Madhav Agarwal to Crack UPSC CSE 2024 with AIR 16? | Exclusive
ADVERTISEMENT
UPSC Stories
ANUBHAV SINGH UPSC IFS 2024
9 Years, 8 Attempts, 7 Failures: How Anubhav Singh Cracked UPSC IFS 2024 with AIR 3 Against All Odds | Exclusive
Anubhav Singh’s inspiring journey to UPSC IFS Rank 3 showcases relentless perseverance, strategic preparation,...
Jogender Sihag
“I Cleared UPSC, But My Grandfather isn’t Here to Hear it,” Jogender Sihag, AIR 521, UPSC CSE 2024
"Life is short; make the most of it, whether in civil service or any other field. Just have a clear vision...
WhatsApp Image 2025-05-28 at 18.56
Didn’t Clear UPSC But Found Something Greater: A Story That Will Change How You See Success
She left a top finance job for UPSC, did not clear but built a thriving wellness brand instead. Veda's...
Social Media
parveen kaswan elephant
Elephant Outsmarts Electric Fence! IFS Parveen Kaswan Shares Incredible Video!
In the now-viral 51-second clip, the intelligent giant approaches a wooden pole supporting high-voltage...
UPSC Latest IAS IPS IFS
UPSC CSE Prelims 2025 Tomorrow: ICLS Officer Altap Shaikh Shares Last-Minute Motivation for Aspirants
His five-post thread offers encouragement, practical advice, and emotional support - not just for those...
Anupam Sharma IFS
#BoycottTurkey: IFS Officer Anupam Sharma Sparks Nationalist Call to Action
IFS Sharma urged citizens to avoid Turkish agricultural imports
ADVERTISEMENT
ADVERTISEMENT
ADVERTISEMENT
Latest
Leopard into Well Indore
Wildlife on the Edge: Why Leopards Keep Falling into Wells in MP’s Mhow & How Communities Are Navigating Coexistence
Harry Hobbs of Kolkata and Other Forgotten Lives
Nine Colonial Lives That Shaped Calcutta: Devasis Chattopadhyay’s Fascinating Chronicle | Book Review
ADVERTISEMENT
ADVERTISEMENT
ADVERTISEMENT
ADVERTISEMENT
ADVERTISEMENT
ADVERTISEMENT
ADVERTISEMENT
Videos
IAS Tushar G Nikhare
IMG-20250523-WA0036
Madhav Agarwal UPSC
ADVERTISEMENT
ADVERTISEMENT