Chennai, Jul 1 (IANS): The Tamil Nadu Health Department has commenced drive for eradication of tuberculosis in the state, and is visiting crowded residential areas, old age homes, industries, and areas vulnerable to the disease with a high-tech vehicle that has equipment that can trace cases.

This is part of the TB Free Tamil Nadu-2025 campaign, launched by the state government to reduce the incidence of TB from 217/lakh population in 2015 to 44/ lakh population by 2025.

Chief Minister M.K. Stalin on Friday flagged off 23 such vehicles which have installed digital x-rays in addition to the equipment that is used to trace tuberculosis in people.

The vehicles will create awareness in the localities concerned and provide necessary medicines to those who are detected with the disease. In addition to this, an amount of Rs 500 will be provided to the patients, along with counselling, for continued medication.

Health Department officials told IANS that the vehicles are high-tech with generator facilities to operate the digital x-ray machine even in areas without electric connections. Sources said that the idea was to test as many people as possible even in remote villages of the state.

The state will be conducting tests on five lakh people this year with the help of these vehicles which can take 10 x-ray tests in an hour.

Health Department officials in Nilgiris district received appreciation and certificate from the Chief Minister for reducing tuberculosis by 40 per cent in the district.