India has made a noticeable stride in
tuberculosis (
TB) treatment and prevention as per the latest released Global TB Report by the World Health Organization (
WHO). India was able to achieve a high treatment coverage among those diagnosed and recorded a notable increase in the number of individuals receiving preventative treatment.
Rise In Preventative Coverage
As per the WHO, 12.2 lakh people in India were given the preventative TB therapy in 2023, which has increased compared to 10.2 lakh people in 2022 and 4.2 lakh in 2021. Preventative treatment is essential for high-risk individuals such as household contact of TB patients and people living with HIV. They are administered Isoniazid, which is a widely used TB preventative therapy, daily for 6 to 9 months.
85% Treatment Coverage
India is also one of the high-burden countries with 85% treatment coverage rate - one of only seven nations among the top 30 TB-burdened countries to reach this level.
This is impactful as TB claims nearly half of its victims without treatment.
Treatment Success Rates and Innovative Compliance Solutions
The WHO report also highlights the treatment rates in India. 89% for drug-susceptible TB cases, 73% for those resistant to rifampicin or multiple drugs, and 69% for extremely drug-resistant cases.
One of the persistent challenges in TB treatment is to ensure adherence over long durations. To combat compliance issues, the Indian government has introduced initiatives such as pillboxes, which can track medication intake and send reminders and as shorter treatment regimens to improve adherence.
India’s Progress Towards TB Elimination
While India has made a remarkable progress, TB elimination is still a distant goal. In 2023, India reported an estimated 28 lakh TB cases, representing 26% of global TB cases, and an estimated 3.15 lakh TB-related deaths. This has accounted for 29% of global TB deaths.
However, the gap between estimated cases and actual diagnoses is narrowing, as India registered 25.2 lakh diagnosed cases in 2023, up from 24.2 lakh in the previous year. This means that case detection and reported have improved.