In The Spotlight

Letter of Appreciation from the Civil Surgeon, Sonipat

Dr. Alankrita Gera, Civil Surgeon, Sonipat, and a member of the Baal Kshay Rog Mukt Sonipat Task Force, placed on record her appreciation of Dr. Mittal's contribution to tuberculosis control and child health, on Government of Haryana letterhead (Ref. No. C.S. Steno/26/4230). The letter notes his work in close alignment with NTEP, his Ni-kshay Mitra support, and his hands-on training of doctors and staff in gastric aspirate and induced sputum collection at Civil Hospital, Sonipat.

Faridabad Field Work, Shared by the Central TB Division

On 24 September 2026, Dr. Mittal led a pediatric TB sensitisation session with Faridabad's child-health stakeholders, bringing together RBSK, RKSK, ICDS, CHOs, NCD and other frontline teams to discuss how each platform can help find children with TB earlier. At Fortis Hospital, he met Dr. Monawar Khurshid, Medical Superintendent, and Dr. Sukhwinder Singh, State Technical Manager (WHP), on the pitfalls in diagnosis, documentation and reporting of pediatric TB at the tertiary-care level.

The Central TB Division, MoHFW (@TbDivision) reposted his posts on this work on X on 27 September, 28 September and 3 October 2026.

Two New Papers on Preventing Childhood TB

Strengthening Immunisation to Achieve TB Mukt Bharat — International Journal for Multidisciplinary Research (IJFMR), Vol. 8, Issue 4, July–August 2026. Proposes adding one household TB-exposure question to routine immunisation counselling, with a simple referral pathway into contact tracing and TB preventive treatment.

Nutrition as a Missing Link in Childhood TB — International Journal of Science and Research (IJSR), Vol. 15, Issue 8, August 2026. Argues for cross-referral between nutrition and TB services at the points where families already meet the health system.

Faculty — Sensitisation of District IAP Chapter on Pediatric TB

At Hotel Cozette, Sonipat, Dr. Mittal was faculty for three sessions — TB Management Essentials, Extra-Pulmonary TB (Lymph Node), and Pediatric TB: Current Status and the Role of IAP. The programme was organised by World Health Partners with SAATHII, the District TB Cell and the District IAP Chapter.

Training Doctors and Health Staff in Pediatric TB

Alongside clinical work, Dr. Mittal has taught at a series of district-level programmes under the NTEP:

• NTEP District Level Training of Public and Private Hub Sites for Pediatric TB, Sonipat (organised by World Health Partners) — faculty for the Extra-Pulmonary TB session: lymph node, pleural, abdominal and CNS TB
• Civil Hospital Sonipat — hands-on training in gastric aspirate and induced sputum sampling for children
• WHP / NTEP / SAATHII / ECHO India virtual session — pediatric TB training for medical officers and staff nurses of Sonipat and Panipat

Zero Pediatric TB Sonipat Model — Baal Kshay Rog Mukt Sonipat Task Force

Soft-announced on 11 April 2026 and formally launched on 23 May 2026, the Task Force brings pediatricians, NTEP teams and community stakeholders together around early detection, contact screening, TB preventive treatment, nutrition support and Ni-kshay reporting.

District Ni-kshay data shows pediatric TB notifications in Sonipat falling from 53 in Q1 to 34 in Q2 2026 — a 35.8% reduction.

On 27 May 2026, the Central TB Division, MoHFW (@TbDivision) reposted Dr. Mittal's post on the Sonipat model on its official channel.

Source: Ni-kshay data, District TB Office, Sonipat.

Chief Returning Officer — IAP Election Committee

Dr. N. K. Mittal has been appointed Chief Returning Officer of the Election Committee of the Indian Academy of Pediatrics, under Dr. Neelam Mohan, National President IAP 2026, with a tenure up to 31 December 2027.

The role involves overseeing the Academy's electoral process across all zones, with a focus on transparency, constitutional compliance and impartiality.

State IAP Nodal Person — WHP–SAATHII Pediatric TB Project

Dr. Mittal has been nominated as State IAP Nodal Person for the WHP–SAATHII Global Fund GC-7 Integrated Pediatric TB Project (Punjab & Haryana), working with the State TB Cell under the National Tuberculosis Elimination Programme.

Drawing on four decades of pediatric practice — with free TB treatment always ensured for children whose families cannot afford it — his focus in this role is:

• Strengthening early detection of pediatric TB
• Improving notification and reporting
• Ensuring complete and supervised treatment
• Creating awareness among pediatricians and families
• Supporting the national goal of TB elimination

"India eliminated polio. With the same determination, we can eliminate tuberculosis too."

State-Level Meeting on Strengthening TB Elimination

Dr. Mittal took part in a state-level online meeting convened by the State TB Cell, Haryana, chaired by the State TB Officer, with District TB Officers and IMA Haryana District Presidents — focused on programmatic strategies under the NTEP.

He shared clinical and public-health perspectives on the under-recognition of childhood TB, the need for child-friendly diagnostics and treatment, prevention through TB Preventive Treatment (TPT), and the role of nutrition.

Is Your Child's Ongoing Cough a Warning of Tuberculosis?

In this expert session, Dr. Rajiv Uttam (Director, Paediatric Pulmonology, Medanta Gurugram) is joined by Dr. N. K. Mittal to discuss recognising tuberculosis in children at an early stage.

• When a persistent cough in children should raise concern for TB
• Common early symptoms that are often missed
• How childhood tuberculosis is diagnosed
• Treatment options — and when to seek specialist care

Chief Guest — National Style Open Kabaddi Championship

Dr. Mittal was invited as Chief Guest at the National Style Open Kabaddi Championship in his native village, Purkhas Rathi, Sonipat — a visit that also took him back to the house where he was born, nearly five decades after he left it.

He encouraged the young rural athletes, saying that with dedication and discipline they can compete on national and international platforms. The community also acknowledged his work toward a TB-free Bharat.

NEOCON Haryana Annual Conference — Organising Chairperson

Held at Wyndham Garden, Sonipat, with Dr. N. K. Mittal as Organising Chairperson, the conference brought together 200+ delegates. Dr. Mittal also spoke on the Vaccination Panel on the BCG vaccine — a subject central to child health and TB elimination.

European CME Credits (ECMECs®) — PGPPC

Dr. Mittal was awarded European CME Credits (ECMECs®) by the European Accreditation Council for Continuing Medical Education (EACCME®) on completing the Post-Graduate Program in Pediatric Clinical Care (PGPPC), organised by the Accord Educare Foundation with the Signutra Nutrition Institute.

Contributing to TB Mukt Bharat from Sonipat

At Mittal Nursing Home, Dr. Mittal's pediatric TB work is one part of Sonipat's district-level effort under the National TB Elimination Programme (NTEP), carried out alongside the District TB Office, IAP Sonipat and fellow pediatricians:

• Sustained pediatric TB care, including free TB OPD services
• BCG vaccination and awareness for newborns and their families
• Support for patients through Ni-kshay Mitra adoption for nutrition and follow-up
• Digital TB reporting and early case detection
• Collaboration with district health authorities under the NTEP
• Public awareness and community counselling

District data: pediatric TB cases in Sonipat fell from 53 to 34 (35.8%) between Q1 and Q2 2026. Source: Nikshay, District TB Office, Sonipat.