New Delhi (India), May 13: Prime Minister Narendra Modi chaired a meeting on Tuesday to evaluate the progress of the tuberculosis (TB) elimination campaign. Union Health Minister JP Nadda and other key leaders were present. The Government of India has launched several strategic initiatives under the National Tuberculosis Elimination Programme (NTEP) to address the TB burden, focusing on diagnosis, treatment, and prevention to achieve a TB-free India.
In 2020, the Government of India rebranded the Revised National Tuberculosis Control Program (RNTCP) as the National TB Elimination Program (NTEP), underscoring the country’s commitment to eliminating tuberculosis by 2025, five years ahead of the global target of 2030.
According to the World Health Organization’s Global TB Report, India has made considerable progress in tackling TB. Under NTEP, the incidence rate of TB cases decreased by 17.7%, from 237 per 1 lakh people in 2015 to 195 in 2023. TB-related deaths also fell from 28 to 22 per 1 lakh people during the same period.
The NTEP is guided by the National Strategic Plan (2017-2025), focusing on four core actions: Detect – Treat – Prevent – Build (DTPB) to manage and eradicate TB in India. To meet the 2025 target, the programme reported the highest-ever number of case notifications, with 25.5 lakh TB cases in 2023 and 26.07 lakh cases in 2024.
NTEP has also introduced the first-ever Indigenous TB burden mathematical model to estimate state-wise TB prevalence. The programme has enhanced patient support by offering incentives to ASHAs, TB Champions, and Caregivers. Targeting high-risk groups, the campaign identified 3 lakh additional cases through house-to-house screenings.
To bolster TB detection and research, 560 colleges contributed, while regular surveys, drug sales monitoring, and assessments of under-reporting were conducted. Collaboration with various ministries, industries, NGOs, and technical bodies further supported the campaign, as noted in the press release.
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