Relevance: GS II & III – Health, Welfare Schemes; 

Source: The Hindu, Global TB Report 2025

Despite major gains, the Global TB Report 2025 shows India is not on track to meet its 2025 TB elimination target. India achieved a 12% fall in incidence and 28% reduction in deaths between 2015–2024, yet remains the world’s highest TB burden country.

  • India recorded an estimated 28 lakh TB cases in 2024, with 25.1 lakh officially notified.
  • Around 2.3 lakh deaths occurred, keeping TB a major public health challenge.
  • Treatment coverage has improved to 92%, but drug-resistant TB remains high at 2.3%.
  • India accounts for over 27% of global TB cases and nearly 30% of global TB deaths.

Why India Struggles

Tuberculosis is an airborne bacterial disease (Mycobacterium tuberculosis) spreading through respiratory droplets.
 India’s high burden is due to:

  • Drug-resistant TB (DR-TB) rising due to treatment gaps and irregular drug supply.
  • Malnutrition, overcrowding, and poverty increase susceptibility.
  • Missed cases: “Missing patients” not reported to the programme remain high.
  • Health system diversion during COVID and other outbreaks slowed momentum.

What India Is Doing: Programmes & Innovations

Area

Key Measures

DiagnosisUniversal DST, CBNAAT/Truenat expansion, community X-ray AI tools.
TreatmentShorter BPaL regimen; 100-day TB campaigns covering 25+ lakh households.
SupportNikshay Poshan Yojana for nutritional aid; private sector reporting via Ni-kshay Mitras.
MonitoringData-driven surveillance under NTEP and NSP (2020–25).
ResearchTB vaccine candidates (e.g., M72/AS01E) under testing.

Way Forward 

  • Strengthen primary healthcare screening and nutrition support.
  • Scale up BPaL regimen nationwide.
  • Expand molecular testing (CBNAAT/Truenat) to remote regions.
  • Targeted interventions for children, urban poor, tribal areas.
  • Invest in a TB vaccine rollout once candidates pass trials (e.g., M72/AS01E).

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