<p>India has done well in its fight against tuberculosis, but it must do more to get its most serious health challenge under control, going by the Global Tuberculosis Report 2025, released by the World Health Organisation (WHO). While the country registered the world’s highest decline rate in the incidence of the disease, it bears the highest burden at 25%. </p><p>The country reduced incidence from 237 per lakh population in 2015 to 187 per lakh population in 2024. The average annual decline is nearly 3%. The rate of diagnosis is higher, and the coverage of treatment better. The mortality rate has decreased from 28 per lakh population in 2015 to 21 per lakh population in 2024. Along with these positives, the negatives need to be taken into account. Tuberculosis remains the biggest infectious killer in the country, accounting for about five lakh deaths annually, which is about a third of the global toll. </p>.<p>India’s share in the global incidence of multi-drug resistant (MDR-TB) cases is worse than in the case of ordinary TB. </p><p>The country accounts for about 32% of the global total. This is a serious problem because the success of treatment in MDR-TB cases is lower, and the fatalities could be higher. The global target for elimination of TB is 2030 but India had advanced it to 2025. </p><p>This was an unrealistic target, certain to be missed as it was not supported by adequate strategies. The National Strategic Plan (2017-2025) envisaged effective action in four areas —detection, treatment, prevention and strengthening of the health system. There is so much more to be done in all these areas.</p>.<p>Detection of cases has greatly improved, but the country reports one lakh ‘missing’ cases, which account for the highest number of unreported cases in the world. The treatment success rate is higher than the world average. New technologies such as portable diagnostic tools and artificial intelligence (AI) have been deployed, and they are showing results.</p><p> The country diagnosed over 26 lakh cases in 2024, which is the highest ever. The biggest challenge in the treatment of TB is that it has socio-economic roots. Low income and poor nutrition are contributing factors and they must be addressed as part of the treatment. Nutrition is a part of the treatment regimen, but a large number of undetected cases are from the low income groups. More sustained and effective steps are necessary to make the National TB Elimination Programme a success and achieve the target at the earliest. </p>
<p>India has done well in its fight against tuberculosis, but it must do more to get its most serious health challenge under control, going by the Global Tuberculosis Report 2025, released by the World Health Organisation (WHO). While the country registered the world’s highest decline rate in the incidence of the disease, it bears the highest burden at 25%. </p><p>The country reduced incidence from 237 per lakh population in 2015 to 187 per lakh population in 2024. The average annual decline is nearly 3%. The rate of diagnosis is higher, and the coverage of treatment better. The mortality rate has decreased from 28 per lakh population in 2015 to 21 per lakh population in 2024. Along with these positives, the negatives need to be taken into account. Tuberculosis remains the biggest infectious killer in the country, accounting for about five lakh deaths annually, which is about a third of the global toll. </p>.<p>India’s share in the global incidence of multi-drug resistant (MDR-TB) cases is worse than in the case of ordinary TB. </p><p>The country accounts for about 32% of the global total. This is a serious problem because the success of treatment in MDR-TB cases is lower, and the fatalities could be higher. The global target for elimination of TB is 2030 but India had advanced it to 2025. </p><p>This was an unrealistic target, certain to be missed as it was not supported by adequate strategies. The National Strategic Plan (2017-2025) envisaged effective action in four areas —detection, treatment, prevention and strengthening of the health system. There is so much more to be done in all these areas.</p>.<p>Detection of cases has greatly improved, but the country reports one lakh ‘missing’ cases, which account for the highest number of unreported cases in the world. The treatment success rate is higher than the world average. New technologies such as portable diagnostic tools and artificial intelligence (AI) have been deployed, and they are showing results.</p><p> The country diagnosed over 26 lakh cases in 2024, which is the highest ever. The biggest challenge in the treatment of TB is that it has socio-economic roots. Low income and poor nutrition are contributing factors and they must be addressed as part of the treatment. Nutrition is a part of the treatment regimen, but a large number of undetected cases are from the low income groups. More sustained and effective steps are necessary to make the National TB Elimination Programme a success and achieve the target at the earliest. </p>
