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Headline: India Shows Strong Progress in TB Reduction, Yet Challenges Remain Amid Global Shortfall

New Delhi – November 16, 2025 – A recent World Health Organization (WHO) report highlights India’s significant strides in reducing Tuberculosis (TB) incidence, while also underscoring the persistent global challenges in eradicating the deadly disease. According to the “Global Tuberculosis Report 2025,” TB remains a major killer, claiming over 1.2 million lives globally in 2024 and affecting an estimated 10.7 million people.

The report identifies India as having the highest TB burden globally, accounting for 25% of cases. However, the nation has demonstrated remarkable progress, reducing TB incidence by 21% between 2015 and 2024 – a rate nearly double the global average. Treatment coverage has also increased to 92%, putting India ahead of other high-burden countries.

Despite this progress, India missed its own target of eliminating TB by 2025. Uttar Pradesh currently has the highest number of TB cases, followed by Maharashtra, Bihar, and Madhya Pradesh, while Delhi has the highest TB infection prevalence rate. Experts point to challenges including drug-resistant TB, weak healthcare infrastructure particularly in rural areas, socio-economic disparities impacting access to care, supply chain disruptions and a shortage of trained personnel.

The Indian government has taken steps to address the epidemic, including renaming the Revised National Tuberculosis Control Programme (RNTCP) as the National TB Elimination Programme (NTEP) and upgrading laboratories as well as expanding community screening efforts by using AI-enabled hand-held chest X-ray units.

Furthermore, the Ministry of Health is providing nutritional support via direct benefit transfers (DBT) which increased to ₹1,000 per month per patient for the entire treatment duration. ASHA workers have been trained to identify early warning signs in TB patients and refer them to better treatment facilities.

The WHO report indicates that while the global rate of TB illness and deaths declined slightly between 2023 and 2024, funding for TB prevention, diagnosis, and treatment remains critically low. The $5.9 billion available in 2024 represents just over a quarter of the $22 billion annual target set for 2027.

The report also noted the significant research and development efforts, with 63 diagnostic tests and 29 drugs currently in clinical trials, plus 18 vaccine candidates.

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