BENGALURU: Acknowledging that tuberculosis remains a significant health challenge in the country, Health Minister Dinesh Gundu Rao said that he recently held discussions with the Union Health Ministry to ensure a consistent supply of first-line anti-tuberculosis drugs to address recent shortage.
He was speaking after the release of the Global TB Report 2024 by the World Health Organisation (WHO), which acknowledged India’s progress in tackling tuberculosis. Gundu Rao noted that while progress has been made, there is still a long way to go. He noted that in Karnataka, efforts have resulted in increased case notifications and a gradual decline in TB incidence and mortality, supported by expanded diagnostic services and improved access to treatment.
As per the WHO report, in 2023, India had around 2.7 million cases of TB, with 2.51 million people diagnosed and receiving treatment. This has increased the country’s treatment coverage to 89% in 2023, up from 72% in 2015.
The WHO reported a decrease in India’s TB incidence from 237 cases per 100,000 people in 2015 to 195 cases per 100,000 people in 2023, thus marking a 17.7% decline. This rate of decrease is more than double the global decline of 8.3%.
The increase in coverage is attributed to the strong momentum India has built around TB case finding and the ongoing efforts to decentralise healthcare services, supported by over 170,000 Ayushman Arogya Mandirs across the country. The Central government is acquiring over 800 AI-enabled portable chest X-ray machines to enhance India’s extensive TB laboratory network, which is the largest in the world. This network includes 7,767 rapid molecular testing facilities and 87 culture and drug susceptibility testing laboratories across the country.