World TB Day: Is India on Track to Eliminate the World's Deadliest Infectious Disease?

Every year, World Tuberculosis Day is observed on March 24 to highlight the urgency of eradicating TB, known as the world’s deadliest infectious disease. This year, the theme is "Yes! We Can End TB: Commit, Invest, Deliver."

Ending the TB epidemic by 2030 is one of the health targets of the United Nations Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs).

What causes TB?

According to the World Health Organization, tuberculosis (TB) is an infectious disease caused by bacteria that most often affect the lungs. It spreads through the air when people with TB cough, sneeze, or spit.

A preventable and curable disease, TB affects about a quarter of the global population. Those who are infected but not yet showing symptoms cannot transmit the disease. TB is usually treated with antibiotics and can be fatal without treatment.

In some countries, the Bacille Calmette-Guérin (BCG) vaccine is given to babies or young children to prevent TB. The vaccine helps prevent deaths from TB and protects children from its most serious forms.

Global figures

In 2023, an estimated 10.8 million people fell ill with TB worldwide, including 6.0 million men, 3.6 million women, and 1.3 million children. TB affects all countries and age groups. India accounts for more than a quarter of the world's new TB cases. According to the Global TB Report, around 2.8 million people in India were newly diagnosed with TB in 2023.

Globally, 1.25 million people died from TB in 2023, including 161,000 people living with HIV. Global efforts to combat TB have saved an estimated 79 million lives since 2000.

Moreover, multidrug-resistant TB (MDR-TB) remains a public health crisis, with only about 2 in 5 people with drug-resistant TB accessing treatment in 2023.

Where India stands

In her message, President of India Droupadi Murmu called for collective action to eliminate TB. She commended the National TB Elimination Programme (NTEP) under the Ministry of Health and Family Welfare for its efforts to raise awareness and engage the public in the fight against the disease.

She noted that this year’s theme underscores the need for a global commitment to ending the infectious disease.

Acknowledging that TB remains a major health challenge affecting millions worldwide, with both social and economic impacts, President Murmu highlighted that India’s sustained efforts under NTEP have led to a significant decline in TB cases over the past decade. She urged all stakeholders to continue working together toward making India TB-free.

Under NTEP, the Government of India has set a target to eliminate TB by 2025—five years ahead of the global target of 2030. This includes an 80% reduction in incidence, a 90% reduction in mortality, and ensuring that zero TB patients or their households face catastrophic costs due to TB.

While India is still working toward this goal, significant progress has been made. According to the WHO Global TB Report 2024, TB incidence in India dropped by 17.7% from 2015 to 2023—more than double the global average decline. TB-related deaths have also decreased by 21.4% during the same period.

The outbreak of the COVID-19 pandemic disrupted processes to identify, treat, and prevent TB.

In a post on X (formerly Twitter), Union Minister for Health JP Nadda reaffirmed the government’s commitment to eliminating TB and improving health outcomes for vulnerable populations. He highlighted India’s 100-day TB Elimination Campaign, which focused on high-burden districts to ensure that TB services reach the grassroots level.

Launched in 33 states and Union Territories in December 2023, the campaign helped detect over 6 lakh TB cases across the country. As part of the TB Mukt Abhiyaan, X-ray screenings for high-risk populations were conducted, using AI-enabled handheld X-ray machines, portable X-ray units, and door-to-door screenings for symptomatic and asymptomatic individuals.

"Recognizing the role of nutrition in recovery, we have also increased the financial support under the Nikshya Poshan Yojana, raising the amount from Rs. 500 to Rs. 1,000 per month to meet the nutritional needs of TB patients. On this occasion, I extend heartfelt gratitude to all healthcare workers delivering comprehensive support to TB patients. Together, we can create a #TBMuktBharat and work toward better health for all," he wrote on X.

The need for higher investments

According to the WHO, USD 22 billion is needed annually for TB prevention, diagnosis, treatment, and care to meet the global target set for 2027 at the 2023 UN high-level meeting on TB.

While 80% of spending on TB services has come from domestic sources in the past decade, international donor funding remains crucial for low- and middle-income countries.

Between 2019 and 2023, available funding from domestic sources declined by US$1.2 billion, while international donor funding saw a marginal increase of US$0.1 billion. The decline in domestic funding is largely due to cuts in contributions from Brazil, the Russian Federation, India, China, and South Africa (BRICS countries).

The WHO has also pointed out that financing for TB research and innovation, at US$1 billion in 2022, continues to fall short of the global target of US$5 billion per year due to overall investment constraints.

The withdrawal of the United States from the WHO has further strained financial support. The US has been the largest financial contributor to the WHO, accounting for about 12-15% of the total in 2022-2023.

In this context, the WHO has called for increased funding to achieve the SDG target of eliminating TB by 2030.