Tuberculosis Cases in India: 18% Higher Than 2020

The incidence of tuberculosis (TB) in India for 2021 was 210 per 100,000 population - compared to the baseline year of 2015 (incidence was 256 per lakh of population in India). There has been an 18 percent decline which is 7 percentage points better than the global average of 11 percent. These figures also place India at the 36th position in terms of incidence rates (from largest to smallest incidence numbers)," the Health Ministry said.

Tuberculosis in India

While the COVID-19 pandemic impacted TB programmes across the world, India was able to successfully offset the disruptions caused, through the introduction of critical interventions in 2020 and 2021 - this led to the National TB Elimination Programme notifying over 21.4 lakh TB cases - 18 percent higher than 2020, it said.

It said further that in 2021, over 22 crore people were screened for TB. The aim has been to find and detect more cases to arrest onwards transmission of the disease in the community which has contributed to the decline in incidence. For this purpose, India has also scaled up diagnostic capability to strengthen detection efforts. Indigenously-developed molecular diagnostics have helped expand the reach of diagnosis to every part of the country today. India has over 4,760 molecular diagnostic machines across the country, reaching every district.

Against this backdrop, and prior to the publication of the Global Report, the Ministry of Health and Family Welfare had communicated to WHO that the Ministry has already initiated domestic studies to arrive at a more accurate estimate of incidence and mortality rates in a systematic manner and India’s data will be provided after conclusion of studies in early part of 2023.

The WHO has also acknowledged the Health Ministry’s position on this and noted in the Report that "estimates of TB incidence and mortality in India for 2000-2021 are interim and subject to finalization, in consultation with India’s Ministry of Health & Family Welfare".

On this, the Health Ministry said: "During 2020 and 2021, India made cash transfers of 89 million dollars (INR 670 crores) to TB patients through a Direct Benefit Transfer programme. Moreover, in September 2022, the Honorable President of India has launched a first-of-its-kind initiative, Pradhan Mantri TB Mukt Bharat Abhiyan to provide additional nutritional support to those on TB treatment, through contributions from community including individuals and organizations. Till date, 40,492 donors have come forward to support over 10,45,269 patients across the country."

Source-IANS