TB cases in India decline by 21 percent: MoS Health tells Rajya Sabha

New Delhi: According to the World Health Organisation (WHO) Global TB Report 2025, India has made good progress in controlling tuberculosis. The number of TB cases per lakh population declined by 21%, from 237 in 2015 to 187 in 2024, Minister of State for Health and Family Welfare Anupriya Patel recently informed the Rajya Sabha.

The Minister stated that during this period, treatment coverage improved significantly, from 53% to 92%, primarily due to government efforts to identify undetected TB cases and initiate treatment early. As a result, she said more TB cases are now being officially reported, increasing from 16.07 lakh in 2015 to 26.18 lakh in 2024, indicating that fewer TB cases are now going unnoticed.

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The information was shared while the Minister was replying to a question by MP Neeraj Sekhar, who asked whether the government is aware that many TB cases go undetected every year and what steps are being taken to trace such cases, prevent further spread, and eliminate TB from the country.

In her written reply, the Minister said, "As per the World Health Organization’s Global TB Report 2025, it has been estimated that the incidence rate of TB cases in India has shown a 21% decline from 237/lakh population in 2015 to 187/lakh population in 2024. As per the report, the treatment coverage has improved from 53% in 2015 to 92% in 2024, which is due to the efforts of the government to find all missing cases and initiate prompt treatment. As a result, the notification of cases has increased from 16.07 lakh cases in 2015 to 26.18 lakh cases in 2024, thereby reducing the missing TB cases."

Under TB Mukt Bharat Abhiyan, the Minister stated that the key strategies to trace undetected TB cases include identification of vulnerable population, including asymptomatic, screening by Chest X-ray for early detection, upfront Nucleic Acid Amplification Test (NAAT) for all presumptive TB cases, timely treatment initiation & completion, differentiated TB care for managing high-risk TB cases, nutrition support and preventive treatment to eligible vulnerable population.

The measures taken under the programme to reduce TB in the country include:

1. Targeted interventions in high TB burden areas through State and district-specific strategic plans.

2. Provision of free drugs and diagnostics to TB patients.

3. Active TB case finding campaigns in key vulnerable populations and congregate settings.

4. Decentralised TB screening and treatment services to the level of Ayushman Arogya Mandir.

5. Private sector engagement with incentives for notification and reporting of treatment outcomes.

6. Scale up of molecular diagnostic laboratories to sub-district levels.

7. Intensified Information, Education & Communication (IEC) campaigns to reduce stigma, enhance community awareness and improve health seeking behaviour.

8. Converge efforts and resources of line ministries for TB elimination.

9. Provision of TB Preventive Treatment to contacts of TB patients and eligible vulnerable population.

10. Tracking notified TB cases through Ni-kshay portal.

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