Timely Nikshay Poshan cash transfers can save TB lives, says study
New Delhi: A new modelling study finds that fixing delays in cash transfers under the Nikshay Poshan Yojana could significantly improve treatment success and reduce deaths among tuberculosis patients.
Nikshay Poshan Yojana is a Central scheme launched in 2018 that provides ₹1,000 per month to TB patients for nutritional support during treatment.
As India moves toward its 2030 tuberculosis elimination target, researchers from the Indian Institute of Public Health, Delhi and BML Munjal University looked at how the timing of nutrition support influences treatment outcomes.
Instead of simply evaluating programme performance, the team built a detailed mathematical model to simulate delays and their impact.
The study found that when payments reach patients on time, adherence improves and mortality drops. Prolonged delays, however, blunt the scheme’s benefits and can lead to treatment interruptions. “Nutrition is not just support. It’s part of the cure for TB,” said one of the authors. “Getting the cash to patients when they need it most is critical.”
The researchers recommend streamlining beneficiary verification, automating disbursals, and real-time tracking to cut lag times. India reported 21.4 lakh TB cases in 2023, according to the WHO Global TB Report. With nutrition identified as a key driver of recovery, timely support under Nikshay Poshan Yojana is seen as crucial to meeting the 2030 elimination goal.
