India, March 23 -- The Pune Municipal Corporation (PMC) will start providing food baskets from March 24, World TB Day, for supplementary nutritional support to patients, said officials.

As per a recently published Lancet Global Health paper, at least half a million deaths could be prevented between 2023 and 2035 if 80% of the adults in TB-affected households were provided with food baskets and supplements.

The civic body has made budget allocation of Rs.1crore for these nutritional support programme under which the food baskets will be provided.

"There are as many as 5,000 active TB patients in the city. Since its inception in 2022, PMC has provided food baskets to 7,500 TB patients, with the help of financial aid from private non-gove...