India’s huge infrastructural strength for public health is celebrated with the World Health Organisation’s Global TB Report 2025, affirming a historic decline of 21% in TB (tuberculosis) incidence since 2015. This brings India far ahead of the global average decline and highlights the success of the government’s intensifying efforts under the TB Mukt Bharat Abhiyan, which started in December 2024.
Prime Minister Narendra Modi termed the development as a “remarkable momentum”, reiterating India’s commitment towards a TB-free nation by 2025, five years ahead of the global SDG target.
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TB Decline in India: A Milestone in Global Public Health-
- As per the report on global tuberculosis (TB) by the WHO in 2025, TB incidence decreased from 237 per lakh in 2015 to 187 per lakh in 2024-the steepest decline is a result of early detection and easier treatment. Currently, India also stands among the fastest-improving high-burden nations worldwide.
- During this time period, the global decline with respect to TB was just 12%, bringing India’s figure up to nearly double internationally. India’s accelerated progress indeed indicates the successful implementation of targeted national programmes. It also shows how tremendous community involvement can elevate public-health outcomes
- This means that TB Mortality (for HIV-negative cases) has gone from 28 to 21 per lakh. TB accounts for a significant drop in deaths due to improved diagnosis and timely treatments. Improved patient care for vulnerable population groups has contributed to this gradual decline.
- Treatment coverage leapt ahead from 53% (in 2015) to 92% (in 2024), making it one of the highest worldwide among high-burden countries. This promises greater availability of testing, medicines, and counselling across the country. Higher coverage assures early interventions before complications or transmission can occur.
- Even though the treatment success rate reached 90%, it was still above the global average of 88%. Improved monitoring of adherence and nutritional support has bolstered treatment results. India’s patient-centric model assures that more individuals complete their course of treatment.
- From 15 lakh, missing TB cases have undergone a nosedive to less than 1 lakh. Cases that had disappeared were seen due to rampaging mass screening and AI-enabled diagnostics. It does its bit in breaking the whole chain of transmission at the community level.
This performance demonstrates a better surveillance post by India with efficient diagnostics and a community-driven approach. Bringing together government and citizens has formed a strong ecosystem towards the TB response. The model is now fast becoming a case for emulation by other high-burden countries that aim for rapid progress.
TB Mukt Bharat Abhiyan: A Transformational Mission-
In December 2024, the TB Mukt Bharat Abhiyan ramped up India`s TB elimination processes through technology, community participation, and rapid diagnosis.
Major Achievements:
- Screening of 190 million people vulnerable to TB
- Detection of 2.45 million patients, including 861,000 asymptomatic cases
- Deployment of AI-powered handheld X-ray devices
- Massive interventions on NAAT and molecular diagnostic infrastructure
- Strengthening community-centric care through Jan Bhagidari
- The essence of the model is technology, public participation, and decentralised care, and it has drawn accolades from across the world.
Revolutionising TB Diagnostics: India Leads the World-
India has the most extensive TB diagnostic network currently across the globe, ensuring the early diagnosis and prompt initiation of treatment.
Highlights of Diagnostic Infrastructure:
- 9,391 rapid molecular testing centres
- 107 culture and drug-susceptibility labs
- 500+ handheld AI-enabled X-ray machines deployed
- 1,500 more X-ray devices to be launched
- TB services deflected to 1.78 lakh Ayushman Arogya Mandirs
- By providing rifampicin resistance testing for 92% of patients, India has surpassed the global diagnostic coverage of 83%.
Massive Budget Expansion & Social Support Systems-
The TB program budget of India has increased ten times in the last nine years, which has ensured advancement in diagnostics, treatment, and patient support.
Under Ni-kshay Poshan Yojana:
- DBT was increased from ₹500 to ₹1,000 per month
- Since 2018, ₹4,406 crore disbursed
- Benefits delivery to 1.37 crore TB patients
Role of Ni-kshay Mitras:
- 6.77 lakh volunteers and organisations enrolled
- Nutritional baskets > 45 lakh distributed
- Includes 2 lakh+ My Bharat youth volunteers
This has been a whole-of-society movement in ensuring TB patients have access to all necessary psychosocial, nutritional, and community support throughout treatment.
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Individualised TB Care: A Patient-Centric Revolution-
India has introduced a different tuberculosis care model, in which treatment is administered to patients according to their individual risk factors.
High-risk patients have been identified based on:
- Comorbidities
- Clinical severity
- Socioeconomic vulnerabilities
The new model is being implemented to track the early warning signs by trained ASHA workers, linking the needy patients with the system promptly to avert complications.
Why India’s TB Progress Matters Globally-
The largest contributions by any country to the global pool of TB patients each year are made by India, since the country has a gigantic population. The country, therefore, has a direct impact on global TB indicators by sharp cuts in its own numbers.
India’s successes have been marked by:
- Properly implementing AI and molecular diagnosis
- Rapid-scaled interventions in the community
- Strong political commitment and resource mobilisation
- A replicable model for other high-burden countries
With the TB Mukt Bharat Abhiyan, India is now well poised to fast-track beyond global TB elimination timelines.
Key Statistics-
All these inputs and figures indicate the fight against TB in India. There has been a decline in TB incidence from 237 to 187 per lakh between the years 2015 and 2024. TB mortality has decreased over the year from 28 per lakh to 21 per lakh.
- Treatment coverage for TB has been around 92% in 2024.
- The TB treatment success rate is stated to be 90%.
- Total TB patients diagnosed in the year 2024 stood at 26.18 lakh.
- 8.61 lakh cases of TB are asymptomatic.
- Ni-kshay Poshan Direct Benefit Transfer (DBT) has been raised to ₹1,000 per month.
- Volunteers: More than 2,00,000 My Bharat youth.
- Total Ni-kshay Mitras is 6,77,000.
Conclusion-
An unbelievable drop of 21% in the incidence of tuberculosis will be seen as a watershed moment in global public health. Using innovative technologies, extensive screening, and expanded diagnostic coverage, all with participation from the community, TB Mukt Bharat Abhiyan has set a new paradigm for disease elimination.
Through solid political will, budgetary support, and active involvement of citizens, India is moving steadily toward a TB-free future and beginning to inspire global confidence about how collective efforts can make a difference for health on national grounds.