India makes gains against TB, deaths down 38% since 2015: Centre

NewsIndia NewsIndia makes gains against TB, deaths down 38% since 2015: Centre India makes gains against TB, deaths down 38% since 2015: Centre NEW DELHI: India's estimated TB deaths declined by 38% between 2015 and 2025, while the mortality rate fell from 28 to 18 per lakh population, according to the Union health ministry.

The World Health Organization's Global Tuberculosis Report 2026 says India achieved the first 35% mortality-reduction milestone under its End TB Strategy in 2025, five years after the original 2020 deadline.The ministry also reported a 94% treatment success rate among patients with drug-susceptible TB, attributing the progress to intensified case-finding, rapid molecular diagnostics, AI-enabled portable chest X-rays, timely treatment and nutritional support.Drug-resistant TB remains a challenge, with only 42% of the estimated 3.7 lakh global rifampicin-resistant TB cases in 2025 enrolled on treatment.

India and four other high-burden countries account for around 60% of the global treatment gap.The government's intensified screening campaign has meanwhile detected nearly 15 lakh people with TB who had no apparent symptoms.

Between December 7, 2024, and November 8, 2026, the TB Mukt Bharat Abhiyaan covered more than 25 crore people, with over 11 crore chest X-rays and 3 crore molecular tests conducted. The campaign detected 48.64 lakh TB cases, including 14.97 lakh asymptomatic cases, according to ministry data released on Thursday.The first intensified 100-day campaign was launched in December 2024 in 347 high-priority districts across 33 states and Union Territories before being expanded nationwide.

A second 100-day campaign began on March 24 this year, targeting 1.58 lakh high-risk villages and wards, congregate settings and vulnerable populations.The detection of asymptomatic cases is significant because people without recognisable symptoms may not approach health facilities for testing.

Active screening can help identify them and connect them to treatment earlier.The ministry attributed the improvement in mortality and treatment outcomes to intensified case-finding, rapid molecular diagnostics, AI-enabled portable chest X-rays, timely treatment and nutritional support.

The Ni-kshay digital platform supports patient tracking and treatment monitoring, while the Ni-kshay Poshan Yojana provides nutritional assistance to eligible patients. The Ni-kshay Mitra initiative mobilises individuals and organisations to support people undergoing treatment.Join conversation InsightfulAgreeDisagreeSkepticalConcerningPromisingWorth ReadingBig Development The ministry said 67,933 panchayats were declared TB-free in 2025 and that 96% of the TB programme's funding requirements were met through domestic resources.However, the WHO report flags an important data gap.

India's TB incidence estimates for 2010-2025 are under review following the completion of the first round of district-level sentinel surveillance and a national TB prevalence survey. WHO is expected to update India's country profile after technical discussions on the new data, likely in early 2027.India accounts for about a quarter of the estimated global TB burden.

Globally, 10.6 million people developed TB in 2025 and 1.13 million died of the disease. The global decline in TB incidence between 2015 and 2025 was only 14%, far short of the End TB Strategy's 50% reduction milestone for 2025.

Get the latest India News and Live updates. Download the TOI app. Anuja Jaiswal is a Senior Assistant Editor at The Times of India, with an impressive 18-year career in narrative journalism. She specializes in health and heritage reporting, expertly simplifying complex health information to make it engaging and understandable for readers.

Her deep dives into heritage topics are well-researched, resulting in captivating narratives that resonate with her audience. Over the years, she has worked in Chandigarh, Chhattisgarh and West UP, gaining diverse on-ground experience that shapes her storytelling.

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