India has achieved a landmark milestone in its battle against tuberculosis (TB), recording a 38% reduction in TB mortality since 2015—outpacing the global decline of 35%—alongside an impressive 94% treatment success rate for drug-susceptible TB.
The findings, released in the World Health Organization’s (WHO) Global Tuberculosis Report 2026, underscore how aggressive early detection, artificial intelligence, and community-driven healthcare are reshaping India’s public health landscape under the National TB Elimination Programme (NTEP).
Unprecedented Scale of Screening Under TB Mukt Bharat Abhiyaan
Driving this turnaround is the TB Mukt Bharat Abhiyaan, which has transformed case detection from passive waiting to proactive, doorstep outreach. Following an initial 100-day campaign launched in December 2024 across 347 high-priority districts, the government initiated a second intensified 100-day drive in March 2026 targeting 1.58 lakh high-risk villages, urban wards, and vulnerable communities.
Between December 7, 2024, and November 8, 2026, the mission reached massive operational scale:
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25+ Crore People: Brought under the ambit of intensified TB screening activities.
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11+ Crore Chest X-Rays: Conducted to accelerate early detection.
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3+ Crore Molecular Tests: Nucleic acid amplification tests (NAAT) performed for rapid, accurate diagnosis.
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48.64 Lakh Cases Detected: Including 14.97 lakh asymptomatic cases—catching silent infections early to halt community transmission.
As a result of sustained grassroots efforts, 67,933 Panchayats were declared TB-free in 2025. Furthermore, India’s financial commitment remains overwhelmingly self-reliant, with 96% of TB programme funding requirements met through domestic resources.
Technology Meets Holistic Patient Care
India’s diagnostic reach has been supercharged by portable, AI-enabled digital chest X-rays capable of reaching remote terrains, paired with predictive AI tools that identify disease hotspots and flag high-risk patients prone to adverse outcomes. Digital engagement has also expanded through the Ni-kshay portal for real-time patient tracking and Khushi, an AI chatbot and avatar videobot offering patient guidance.
Recognising that recovery requires more than medicine, the programme integrates TB care with screening for comorbidities like diabetes and undernutrition. Financial aid via the Ni-kshay Poshan Yojana and community-sponsored nutrition and psychosocial support under the Ni-kshay Mitra initiative have played a pivotal role in pushing treatment success to 94%.
Backed by Robust Data and Youth-Led ‘Jan Bhagidari’
The WHO’s assessment drew upon rigorous epidemiological evidence, including the Registrar General of India’s Sample Registration System (RGI/SRS), verbal autopsy data, and Ni-kshay records—confirming that India’s estimated TB mortality dropped from 28 per lakh population in 2015 to 18 per lakh in 2025. Meanwhile, findings from a 2025 nationally representative TB prevalence survey by ICMR-NIRT are currently under technical review with the WHO for an updated country profile.
True to Prime Minister Narendra Modi’s call for Jan Bhagidari (people’s participation), the mission has evolved into a nationwide Jan Andolan (people’s movement). Alongside Panchayati Raj institutions, civil society, and private healthcare providers, youth are now stepping onto the frontlines through JOSH Teams—block- and ward-level units led by Class-I officers and powered by NCC cadets and MY Bharat volunteers to drive awareness and grassroots mobilisation.
