NEW DELHI: India contributes about one-fourth of the world’s tuberculosis (TB) burden, with around 2.5 million new cases and nearly 3,00,000 deaths annually, said an ICMR report released on Wednesday.“India has made significant advances through the National Tuberculosis Elimination Programme (NTEP), utilising molecular diagnostics, digital health technologies, and social support systems. Despite these improvements, India still bears a high TB burden, contributing to approximately 27% of global TB cases, hindered by socioeconomic factors, malnutrition, comorbidities, and disruptions caused by COVID-19,” according to the report by the Indian Council for Medical Research-National Institute for Research in Tuberculosis.India had aimed to eliminate TB by 2025, ahead of the global mandate of 2030.The report, released by Union Health Minister JP Nadda, said over the past decade, the National Tuberculosis Elimination Programme (NTEP) has introduced a range of initiatives aimed at achieving the country’s goal of TB elimination by 2030.These initiatives include free nationwide diagnosis and treatment, rapid expansion of molecular diagnostics, shorter treatment regimens for drug-resistant TB, scaling up active case finding, TB preventive therapy (TP), 3HP regimens and nutritional support through the Nikshay Poshan Yojana.The Nikshay digital platform has become central to improving case notification, treatment adherence, and outcome monitoring, said the report ‘India’s progress in addressing the challenge of tuberculosis – stakeholder engagement for strengthening TB care using public-private partnership, patient-centered service delivery models and integration of digital health technologies.’NTEP continues to strengthen its four-pillar strategy of “Detect, Treat, Prevent, and Build” under the National Strategic Plan for TB Elimination. “This includes early detection and accurate diagnosis, effective treatment, prevention through community partnerships and TB prophylaxis, and capacity-building at all levels.”
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Railways roll out second phase of fare rationalisation, shielding short-distance travellers
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