India’s 100-day intensified TB elimination campaign identified over 6.1 lakh cases, with 4.3 lakh diagnosed in 455 high-burden districts across 33 States and Union Territories. 

About Tuberculosis (TB)

• Cause: Bacterial infection caused by Mycobacterium tuberculosis.
• Affected Organs: Lungs (most common), pleura, lymph nodes, intestines, spine, and brain.
• Transmission Mode: Communicable Disease, Airborne, spreads through close contact with an infected person.
• Risk Factors: High-density populations and poor ventilation.
• Symptoms Of Lung TB: Cough (with sputum or blood), chest pain, weakness, weight loss, fever, and night sweats.

Global Burden Of TB

• Annual Cases: 10 million people fall ill each year.
• Mortality: 1.5 million deaths per year (leading infectious killer).
• High-Risk Groups: People with HIV, those in low- and middle-income countries.
• Major Affected Countries: Bangladesh, China, India, Indonesia, Nigeria, Pakistan, Philippines, South Africa.

Drug-Resistant TB

• MDR-TB (Multidrug-Resistant TB): Does not respond to isoniazid and rifampicin; treated with second-line drugs like bedaquiline.
• XDR-TB (Extensively Drug-Resistant TB): More severe; resistant to most second-line drugs, limiting treatment options.

India’s TB Burden and Progress

• India has the world’s largest TB epidemic and remains a major public health concern.
• TB incidence declined by 17.7% (2015-2023), more than double the global average decline (8.3%).
• TB mortality rate reduced by 18% during the same period.

Indian Initiatives To Tackle TB

• 100-Day TB-Mukt Bharat Abhiyan: New Strategy for Early TB Identification
  • Focus on high-risk populations (diabetics, smokers, people living with HIV).
  • Use of ultraportable hand-held X-ray units for door-to-door screenings.
  • Testing conducted in congregate settings to detect symptomatic and asymptomatic cases.
  • Nucleic Acid Amplification Tests (NAATs) used to confirm positive X-ray results.
  • Led to the detection of multiple asymptomatic TB cases.
• BPaLM Regimen: A New Treatment for MDR-TB
  • Introduced under India’s National TB Elimination Program (NTEP) by the Union Health Ministry.
  • Combination of four drugs: Bedaquiline, Pretomanid (a newly approved anti-TB drug licensed by CDSCO),Linezolid and Moxifloxacin.
• Ni-kshay Poshan Yojana: It is a nutritional support for TB Patients
  • Monthly financial aid doubled from ₹500 to ₹1,000 in October 2024.
• Ni-kshay Mitra Scheme Expansion: Initially provided nutrition support to TB patients.
  • Now expanded to include their family members.
• NI-KSHAY Portal: Digital patient management system for TB control under NTEP.
  • Tracks TB cases, treatment progress, and patient support