India has recorded a 38% reduction in tuberculosis (TB) mortality since 2015, compared to a global decline of 35%, while achieving a treatment success rate of 94% among patients with drug-susceptible TB, according to the World Health Organization’s (WHO) Global Tuberculosis Report 2026 released on November 12.
The figures reflect India’s progress in reducing TB-related deaths through early detection, timely treatment, technological interventions and comprehensive patient care under the National TB Elimination Programme (NTEP).
According to the report, India’s estimated TB mortality rate declined from 28 per lakh population in 2015 to 18 per lakh in 2025. The progress has been attributed to intensified interventions, including proactive case finding, AI-enabled chest X-rays, rapid diagnostics, prompt treatment initiation, differentiated TB care and nutritional support through the Ni-kshay Poshan Yojana and Ni-kshay Mitra initiative.
The programme has also incorporated AI-based tools to identify disease hotspots and predict high-risk TB cases vulnerable to adverse outcomes, along with initiatives such as Khushi AI Chatbot and Avatar Videobot.
The 94% treatment success rate among patients with drug-susceptible TB reflects improvements in treatment delivery and patient-centred care, supported by sustained assistance to people affected by the disease.
The TB Mukt Bharat Abhiyaan has emerged as a major component of India’s intensified efforts, focusing on community-based screening, early diagnosis and outreach to vulnerable populations.
The first intensified 100-day campaign was launched on December 7, 2024, covering 347 high-priority districts across 33 States and Union Territories before being expanded nationwide. Building on its experience, another intensified 100-day campaign was launched on March 24, 2026, focusing on 1.58 lakh high-risk villages and wards, congregate settings and vulnerable populations.
Between December 7, 2024, and November 8, 2026, more than 25 crore people were brought under TB screening activities. The campaign also recorded over 11 crore chest X-rays and more than three crore nucleic acid amplification tests (NAAT) for rapid diagnosis.
During the period, 48.64 lakh new TB cases were identified, including 14.97 lakh asymptomatic cases. The identification of asymptomatic cases has been considered significant as early diagnosis enables timely treatment and helps reduce transmission and the risk of severe disease.
The campaign also emphasises prompt treatment initiation, differentiated patient care, nutritional assistance and community-based support. In 2025, a total of 67,933 Panchayats were declared TB-free.
India has increasingly adopted technology to strengthen TB diagnosis and treatment. Portable AI-enabled digital X-ray systems, rapid molecular diagnostic technologies and expanded diagnostic infrastructure have helped improve access to screening and testing across diverse geographical and social settings.
The Ni-kshay digital platform supports patient tracking, treatment monitoring and programme management, helping ensure continuity of care and timely interventions. TB screening is also being integrated with the identification and management of diabetes, undernutrition and other comorbidities to provide comprehensive treatment.
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Nutritional assistance remains an important component of the national response. Under the Ni-kshay Poshan Yojana, eligible TB patients receive financial assistance towards their nutritional requirements during treatment, while the Ni-kshay Mitra initiative encourages individuals, institutions and organisations to provide nutritional and psychosocial support.
The WHO report has incorporated evidence from multiple sources, including the Registrar General of India’s Sample Registration System (RGI-SRS), community-based verbal autopsy assessments and programme data from the Ni-kshay portal, to strengthen estimates of TB mortality in the country.
Meanwhile, the Indian Council of Medical Research-National Institute for Research in Tuberculosis (ICMR-NIRT) conducted a nationally representative TB prevalence survey in 2025. The findings have been shared with WHO and are undergoing technical discussions, following which WHO is expected to publish an updated country profile for India.
Community participation has also been a key component of the TB elimination campaign. Panchayati Raj Institutions, urban local bodies, elected representatives, civil society organisations, private healthcare providers, corporate partners and community leaders have been involved in awareness generation, screening, nutritional assistance and patient support.
The Ni-kshay Mitra initiative has further encouraged citizens and institutions to contribute directly to the recovery and well-being of people undergoing TB treatment.
The JOSH Teams initiative is also being used to strengthen youth participation in the campaign. Teams are being constituted at block and ward levels, led by designated Class-I officers and supported by five NCC cadets and five MY Bharat volunteers. The teams are expected to promote awareness, community outreach and grassroots mobilisation.
The report also highlighted India’s domestic commitment to TB elimination, with 96% of the programme’s funding requirements being met through domestic resources.
The Government is expected to continue strengthening screening, access to quality diagnostics, timely treatment, TB preventive treatment, nutritional assistance and community engagement as part of its efforts to achieve a TB-Mukt Bharat.
The progress recorded in the WHO report reflects the country’s ongoing efforts towards reducing TB mortality and improving treatment outcomes through public health interventions, scientific surveillance, technological innovation and community participation. (with inputs from PIB)
