INDIA TB REPORT 2024  (Syllabus: GS Paper 2 – Health)

Context: According to the India TB Report 2024 recently released by the Union health and family welfare ministry, the number of individuals diagnosed with drug-susceptible tuberculosis in India was 2.47 million in 2023.

India TB Report 2024 

• About: It is an annual publication under the National TB Elimination Programme (NTEP), initiated by the Central TB Division.
• Prepared and published by: Ministry of Health and Family Welfare, Government of India, since the year 2001.
• Objective: The report encompasses policy updates, program implementation strategies, and performance indicators at state and district levels regarding tuberculosis control and elimination efforts.

Highlights of the Report 2024

• Reporting of the cases:  The majority of TB cases are still reported by government health centers, despite a rise in notifications by the private sector.
• Increasing Private Sector: Nearly 33% or 8.4 lakh of the 25.5 lakh cases reported in 2023 came from the private sector, marking a significant increase from only 1.9 lakh cases in 2015.
• Consistent Mortality Rate: The mortality due to TB infection remained steady at 3.2 lakh as per the latest data, showing no significant change.
• Declining TB Mortality in India: India's TB mortality dropped from 4.94 lakhs in 2021 to 3.31 lakhs in 2022, indicating a positive trend.
• Reduction in Missing Cases: The number of missing cases decreased to 2.3 lakhs in 2023 compared to 3.2 lakhs the previous year, reflecting an improvement in case tracking and reporting.
• Decreasing Gap with Ni-kshay Portal: The gap in missing cases has been shrinking over the years, particularly with the implementation of the government's Ni-kshay portal for tracking all TB patients.

Recommendations

• Achievement of Treatment Initiation Target: India successfully achieved its 2023 target of initiating treatment in 95% of diagnosed TB patients, as indicated by the report.
• Increased Testing for Drug Resistance: The report highlights that 58% of diagnosed individuals were offered a test to determine drug resistance, a notable rise from 25% in 2015.