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New Delhi, August 5, 2025 – The Union Minister of State for Health and Family Welfare, Anupriya Patel, announced in Parliament that over 26 lakh eligible individuals in India have been initiated on tuberculosis (TB) preventive treatment in 2024. This significant progress was shared during the ongoing Monsoon session, underscoring the country’s intensified efforts towards TB elimination.
Citing the National TB Prevalence Survey (2019-21) by the Indian Council of Medical Research (ICMR), the Minister highlighted that India has an estimated 31.3 percent crude prevalence of latent TB infection among those aged 15 years and above. To combat this, the National TB Elimination Programme (NTEP) was launched, which includes screening household contacts and vulnerable populations for TB infection and offering preventive treatment when eligible.
In 2024, a total of 26.72 lakh individuals began TB preventive treatment as part of these measures, Patel stated. Moreover, the government initiated the 100-Day TB Mukt Bharat Abhiyan in December 2024, which concluded on World TB Day, March 24, 2025. The campaign targeted vulnerable populations and congregate settings in priority districts to accelerate the elimination efforts.
To enhance screening, especially among vulnerable groups, states and union territories have mapped existing resources and increased their capacity for X-ray services using AI-enabled hand-held X-rays and engaging private healthcare facilities.
Additional measures under NTEP include targeted interventions in high TB burden regions, provision of free drugs and diagnostics, mobile diagnostic units serving remote and rural areas, decentralization of TB services to Ayushman Arogya Mandir, and engaging the private sector with incentives for notifying and managing TB cases. Furthermore, molecular diagnostic labs have been scaled up in all blocks to enable early detection, accompanied by the Ni-kshay Poshan Yojana, which provides nutritional support of Rs 1,000 per month throughout the treatment period.
These comprehensive efforts reflect India’s commitment to accelerating progress toward the elimination of TB ahead of global targets.
Disclaimer: This article is based on information provided by the Union Ministry of Health and Family Welfare as reported on August 5, 2025. The figures and statements reflect government initiatives and data up to the date of reporting.
