Honourable
Prime Minister Sh. Narendra Modi Ji gave a clarion call for elimination of TB
from the country. Under his leadership a new model of TB care was adopted and India pioneered several
innovative approaches over the last few years to bring a paradigm shift in TB
prevention, diagnosis and treatment. Findings from the WHO’s Global TB Report
2024 acknowledged the efficacy of the approach adopted so far. It noted a 17.7%
decline in TB incidence in India from 2015 to 2023 – double the rate of decline
observed globally. Not just that, the country diagnosed 25.1 lakh patients,
marking a significant rise in treatment coverage within the country from 59% in
2015 to 85% in 2023.
On
December 7, inspired by the Prime Minister’s vision, India witnessed yet
another transformative push in its TB elimination strategy. The government
launched an intensified 100-day nationwide campaign from Panchkula, covering
347 high TB burden districts, to accelerate our response to fight TB. The initiative reinforces our resolve to identify
every TB patient early by proactively reaching out to vulnerable populations
and by providing them with timely, need-based, and quality treatment. In the
true spirit of Jan Bhagidari, all of us – elected representatives, health
practitioners, civil society, corporates, and communities – collaborated to
make the campaign a grand success.
With the proactive
collaboration of States and Union Territories, this new campaign promises to be
yet another milestone in India’s TB elimination journey.
India’s social approach
to TB elimination
To
complement expanded diagnostic efforts and to support a complete recovery of
the TB patients, India conceptualised and operationalised a nutritional support
scheme - Ni-kshay Poshan Yojana (NPY). Since
April 2018, we have disbursed ?3,295 crores to 1.16 crore beneficiaries through
Direct Benefit Transfer under NPY. In what is a major reinforcement of India’s
commitment to TB elimination, the monthly support under the scheme has been doubled
from the existing ?500 to ?1,000 per month from November 2024.
Another
critical aspect - the TB Mukt Bharat Abhiyaan has not only helped in
addressing the challenge of nutrition but also enhanced community mobilization.
The program has also united various community stakeholders creating a mass
movement to increase awareness and to provide nutritional, vocational, and
psychological support to TB patients. This government-citizen symphony anchored
in the spirit of Jan Bhagidari has
inspired 1.75 lakh Ni-kshay Mitras to
provide 21 lakh food baskets to patients across the country.
Driving innovation to end
TB
Over the years, India has
introduced newer drugs such as Bedaquiline and Delamanid to improve treatment
success rates. Considering the challenges in treatment completion for patients
with the drug-resistant variant, we have allowed a new shorter regimen – BPaLM
which is more effective than the existing regimens. While we have a shorter
9–11month regimen available alongside the conventional 19–20 month regimen,
with the BPaLM regimen patients will now complete treatment in just six months!
We have consistently strived
to ensure that advanced tools are available at the grassroot levels to find and
treat all patients at the earliest. To enable this, we introduced more
efficient and accurate diagnostic tools – molecular tests. From a few hundred
machines in 2014-15, we now have 8,293 molecular diagnostic machines available
in all districts.
In fact, taking a cue from the
‘Make in India’ initiative, indigenous molecular tests have been field-tested
and introduced. We have been able to not only reduce the time taken for TB
diagnosis at district and block levels but have drastically reduced the costs
of testing and treatment. Our indigenous molecular tests have received
endorsement by the World Health Organisation and are being utilized across the
world. These initiatives have positioned India as a true leader in the global
TB response.
We must also take great pride
in the fact that the Indian Council of Medical Research (ICMR) has consistently
been among the top public funders of TB research worldwide since 2018[1].
We will continue making investments to quickly develop and roll out newer
tools, including more efficient point-of-care diagnostics.
Looking Ahead
India’s journey toward TB
elimination is a testament to its leadership in spurring innovation across
various sectors and making available proven technologies in an accelerated
manner. From pioneering research that has led to advanced diagnostics and treatments,
to the introduction of universal social support provisions, India stands at the
forefront of the global TB response. The need of the hour is to ensure a
massive Jan Bhagidari in
identification, diagnosis, treatment and prevention of TB. The intensified
100-day campaign is a further testament to our collective commitment to
eliminate TB. I am confident that under the leadership of our Honourable Prime
Minister and with the participation of all stakeholders, we will defeat this
great enemy of humanity and create a healthier future for all.
(The author is Honourable
Union Minister of Health and Family Welfare. A PIB Feature)
