The Union Home Ministry has asked all states and Union territories to organise screening camps to detect and curb spread of tuberculosis in jails, saying that the closed setting and crowded areas in prisons may make them a breeding ground for transmission of the disease. In a communication to chief secretaries of all states and UTs, the home ministry said TB is a significant public health concern in prisons. The closed setting and crowded areas in the jails have the risk of becoming a breeding ground for TB transmission, exacerbating the burden of the disease within incarcerated populations and posing a risk to public health upon prisoners' release, the communication said. It said that inadequate screening and lack of awareness are seen as key challenges in controlling TB inside prisons. As part of its commitment in eliminating TB in India, the government of India recently launched a '100-Day Intensified Campaign on TB Elimination', which started on December 7, 2024. This nationwi