TB incidence rate declines by 17.7% to 195 per lakh in 2023: Nadda, ET HealthWorld
New Delhi: The incidence rate of tuberculosis (TB) in India has shown a 17.7 per cent decline from 237 per 1,00,000 population in 2015 to 195 per 1,00,000 population in 2023, Union Health Minister J P Nadda told Lok Sabha on Friday. The TB deaths has reduced by 21.4 per cent from 28 per lakh population in 2015 to 22 per lakh population in 2023, he said while responding to a question.
Shorter oral regimen for drug resistant TB was introduced in 2021. This intervention has improved treatment success rates of drug resistant TB patients from 68 per cent in 2020 to 75 per cent in 2022, he said.
The government of India has implemented a National Strategic Plan (2017-2025) with a view to eliminating TB by 2025, five years ahead of the United Nation’s Sustainable Development Goal (SDG) target of 2030.
The ministry implements the National Tuberculosis Elimination Programme (NTEP) under the aegis of the National Health Mission (NHM).
“The NTEP has made significant efforts to make India TB free. The incidence rate of TB in India has shown a 17.7 per cent decline from 237 per 100,000 population in 2015 to 195 per 100,000 population in 2023. TB deaths has reduced by 21.4 per cent from 28 per lakh population in 2015 to 22 per lakh population in 2023,” the minister said.
The steps taken by the government in all states and Union Territories (UTs) to achieve the mentioned goals include targeted interventions in high TB burden areas through state and district specific strategic plans, provision of free drugs and diagnostics to TB patients and active TB case-finding through campaigns in key vulnerable and co-morbid populations.
The government has also initiated integration of Ayushman Arogya Mandir with TB screening and treatment services, private sector engagement with incentives for notification and management of TB cases, scaling up of molecular diagnostic laboratories to sub-district levels and expansion of coverage under Ni-kshay Poshan Yojana for nutritional support to TB patients, Nadda stated.
The initiatives also include intensified Information, Education and Communication (IEC) interventions to reduce stigma, enhance community awareness and improve health seeking behaviour, convergence of efforts and resources of line ministries for TB elimination, provision of TB preventive treatment to contacts of TB patients and vulnerable population, tracking of notified TB cases through Ni-kshay portal and providing additional nutritional, diagnostic and vocational support to TB patients and household contacts under Ni-kshay Mitra initiative, the minister said.
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