World Health Organization (WHO) in their latest report on Tuberculosis has acknowledged the progress made by India in eliminating in the infection. As mentioned in the report Tuberculosis cases in India has declined by 18% from 2015 to 2023. The cases declined from 237 per lakh population in 2025 to 195 per lakh population in 2023.
This is more than double the pace of decline compared with global decline which is 8%, the UN health agencies suggests. WHO reports highlights the country’s decentralized healthcare effort and budget allocation for Tuberculosis program.
“This leap in coverage has been a result of momentum India has created and sustained around Tuberculosis cases finding and reflects of decentralization of healthcare services though over 1.7 lakh Ayushman Arogya Mandir across the country,” a health minister official said.
The health ministry mentioned TB budget saw a leap in allocation from Rupees 640 crores in 2015 to Rupees 3,400 crores inn 2022-23. In the month of September, government approved introduction of BPaLM regimen, a novel treatment for MDR-TB under National TB elimination program.
According to health ministry sources, they are procuring over 800 AI-enables portable chest x-ray machines for India’s TB laboratory network. This include 7,767 rapid molecular testing facilities and 87 culture susceptibility testing laboratories across the country.
TB Cases in India
According to officials, “In 2023, India was notified 27 lakh TB cases out of which 25.1 lakh were diagnosed and were put on treatment”.
India has mentioned 19.8 lakh TB patients from January till September 2024 as compared to 19 lakh which was notified during last year in the same time. This made a 4% increase in counting of TB patients.
WHO lauds India for its progress in reducing the gaps in number of cases of TB. In the month of October government announced support under Nikshay Poshan Yojana from Rupees 500 per month to each patient to Rupees 1000.
Effect of TB Globally
According to WHO, TB has been the world’s leading cause of death. In the year 2023, around 10.8 million people fell ill with TB worldwide which include 6 million men and 3.6 million women and rest 1.3 million includes children’s.
Multidrug-resistant TB (MDR-TB) remains a threat to health. According to WHO, only 2 among 5 people with drug resistant TB got treatment in 2023.
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