Doctor's 23-Year Mission Against TB Inspired by Brother's Death
Dr Dilip Sharma's fight against tuberculosis began with a personal tragedy. His mother told him that his elder brother, Rajesh, died of TB meningitis in childhood and urged him to dedicate his career to the disease. Posted at the Community Health Centre in Depalpur since 2003, Dr Sharma now serves as nodal person for the Pradhan Mantri TB Mukt Bharat Abhiyan under the National Tuberculosis Elimination Programme.
Over 23 years, Dr Sharma has travelled across nearly 460 villages in Indore district, covering Sanwer, Hatod and Depalpur blocks. Around 20,000 TB patients have received free medicines under the government's DOTS programme and completed treatment with his support. He maintains treatment records on the Nikshay portal.
Beyond statistics, Dr Sharma's work focuses on awareness, diagnosis and ensuring patients complete full treatment courses. In rural areas, where distance, lack of awareness and social stigma pose challenges, his efforts have helped reduce transmission risk and brought hope to affected communities.
