India’s dedicated journey towards tuberculosis elimination has been recognized globally, with a noteworthy 17.7 per cent decline in TB incidence from 2015 to 2023, a rate that is over twice the global average decline of 8.3 per cent, as reported by the World Health Organization in its Global Tuberculosis Report 2024.

This milestone highlights the impact of India’s National Tuberculosis Elimination Programme, a comprehensive strategy that combines cutting-edge diagnosis, preventive care, patient support, and cross-sector partnerships to meet the ambitious goal of TB elimination by 2025.

Read in Hindi: साल 2025 में टीबी मुक्त हो जाएगा भारत...!

The SDG target 3.3 aims to ‘End the epidemics of AIDS, tuberculosis, malaria, and neglected tropical diseases, and combat hepatitis, water-borne diseases, and other communicable diseases by 2030’. India, as a signatory to the United Nations Sustainable Development Goals, has pledged to achieve the "End TB" targets by 2025, five years ahead of the SDG deadline of 2030.

In line with the strong political commitment shown by the Government of India, the National Tuberculosis Elimination Program has been implementing the National Strategic Plan for TB Elimination. The NSP 2017–2025 has made significant progress in narrowing the gap between targets and achievements, and India is one of the first countries to develop a mathematical model for burden estimation.

Following the COVID-19 pandemic, India intensified its efforts to eliminate TB through the NTEP, a programme aligned with the National Strategic Plan 2017–25. Key achievements in 2023 include around 1.89 crore sputum smear tests and 68.3 lakh nucleic acid amplification tests, which reflect the programme’s commitment to expanding access to diagnosis at all healthcare levels.

In response to evolving medical insights, the National Tuberculosis Elimination Programme introduced comprehensive care packages and decentralized TB services, which include an expanded rollout of shorter oral regimens for patients with drug-resistant TB. The program prioritized minimizing treatment delays and enhancing the quality of TB care, with a specific focus on addressing coexisting health conditions such as malnutrition, diabetes, HIV, and substance abuse through a differentiated care approach and by encouraging early diagnosis.

Preventive measures remain a central focus of the NTEP's approach, as the program significantly expanded access to TB preventive treatment. A strong commitment from various states demonstrated a collective resolution to prevent the emergence of TB disease in vulnerable populations. This led to an overall increase of approximately 15 lakh beneficiaries being provided with TPT including the shorter regimen.

Acknowledging the impact of additional health issues on TB outcomes, the NTEP launched initiatives to tackle these conditions particularly malnutrition, diabetes, HIV, and substance abuse by collaborating with other ministries and departments. These efforts aimed to provide TB patients with more holistic support, thereby improving their overall treatment outcomes.

Direct Benefit Transfer under the Ni-kshay Poshan Yojana provides financial support for TB patients by disbursing nearly Rs.2,781 crores to around one crore beneficiaries. New initiatives, including incentivizing treatment supporters and ASHA workers, TB Vijeta’s and Ni-kshay SAATHI were aimed to further enhance patient support systems.

The launch of the Pradhan Mantri TB Mukt Bharat Abhiyaan in September 2022 marked a pivotal step toward strengthening community involvement and ownership in the fight against tuberculosis. This initiative received extensive support, with political leaders, government officials, and NGOs actively participating in awareness campaigns and events to amplify its reach.

Notably, over 1.5 lakh Ni-kshay Mitras have committed to supporting individuals affected by TB. Advocacy, communication, social mobilization, and community engagement continue to be fundamental aspects of the National Tuberculosis Elimination Programme, which has been further solidified through PMTBMBA to drive community-based efforts in TB elimination.

India’s comprehensive TB elimination approach is showing positive results, with significant declines in incidence and a strengthened health response framework. With continued emphasis on cross-sector partnerships, innovative care solutions, and community engagement, India is well-positioned to meet its goal of a TB-free nation by 2025.