India's Road to TB Elimination

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Achieving India's End TB targets requires addressing structural, logistical, and healthcare challenges through committed efforts.

India’s tuberculosis (TB) elimination goal by 2025, involving 90% reduction in TB deaths and new cases, faces challenges. Political commitments since 2018 and policies under the National Tuberculosis Elimination Programme (NTEP) aim to target high-risk groups, including miners and migrant workers, yet ground-level translation of these measures remains inadequate. The COVID-19 pandemic and subsequent healthcare disruptions have further complicated efforts.

Vulnerable groups, such as those exposed to silica or overcrowded living conditions, face a higher TB risk. Migrant workers and children add to the vulnerable population. Diagnosing TB, especially extrapulmonary TB (EPTB), is hindered by delayed recognition of symptoms, geographical disparities, and resource gaps. Proper diagnostic measures, like clinical evaluation and advanced tests, are underutilized due to limited access.

Shortages of staff and resources, such as cartridges for diagnostic machines, impede care delivery. Additionally, low community awareness about EPTB poses diagnostic challenges. Ownership-driven healthcare models, as seen in tribal regions collaborating with non-governmental organizations, have shown promising results in creating awareness and achieving early diagnosis. Advocacy and political leadership are critical to scaling such best practices.

Achieving the End TB goal requires targeted actions, such as equipping healthcare systems with adequate resources, addressing healthcare inequities, and fostering leadership and community awareness. These steps are vital to reduce TB deaths and cases sustainably.