India Sees 38?cline in TB Deaths Since 2015: WHO Report

Why in News?

The World Health Organization (WHO) released the Global Tuberculosis Report 2026 on 12 November 2026, highlighting a 38% decline in India's TB-related deaths since 2015, compared to the global average decline of 35%. India also achieved a 94% treatment success rate among patients with drug-susceptible TB.

Important Points 

• India recorded a 38% reduction in TB-related deaths since 2015, compared to the global average of 35%.
• The treatment success rate for drug-susceptible TB in India reached 94%.
• India accounted for approximately 25% of new TB cases worldwide.
• Around 88% of new TB cases globally were reported in 30 countries.
• The South-East Asia Region accounted for the highest share of new TB cases (35%), followed by the Western Pacific Region (27%) and the African Region (25%).

Global Tuberculosis Situation

• According to the WHO report, tuberculosis remains the world's leading cause of death from a single infectious agent.
• The major global findings for 2025 are:
  • Total TB deaths: Approximately 1.13 million.
  • New TB cases: An estimated 10.6 million people developed TB.
  • Men affected: 5.7 million.
  • Women affected: 3.7 million.
  • Children affected: 1.2 million.
• Global efforts to control tuberculosis have saved an estimated 86 million lives since 2000.

Countries with the Highest Number of TB Cases

• Around 88% of new TB cases were concentrated in 30 countries. India accounted for approximately one-fourth of the global total.
• The leading countries and their estimated shares of global TB cases were:
  • India – Approximately 25%
  • Indonesia – 10%
  • Philippines – 6.8%
  • China – 6.5%
  • Pakistan – 6.4%
  • Nigeria – 4.9%
  • Democratic Republic of the Congo – 3.9%
  • Bangladesh – 3.7%
• The five countries with the highest number of cases accounted for approximately 55% of the global total.

Major Risk Factors Associated with Tuberculosis

• The report highlights several health and lifestyle factors that increase the risk of developing tuberculosis.
• People with weakened immune systems are more vulnerable to TB. These include people living with HIV, undernutrition, diabetes and those who use tobacco.
• The estimated number of new TB cases linked to major risk factors worldwide was:
  • Undernutrition – 9.6 lakh cases.
  • Diabetes – 9.2 lakh cases.
  • Alcohol use disorders – 7.3 lakh cases.
  • Smoking – 6.9 lakh cases.
  • HIV infection – 5.5 lakh cases.
• These findings show that tackling TB requires not only medical treatment but also improvements in nutrition, healthcare access and living conditions.

Economic Burden of Tuberculosis

• Tuberculosis also creates a significant financial burden on affected families.
• According to the WHO report, around 50% of people receiving TB treatment and their households face catastrophic costs. These costs exceed 20% of total household income.
• The financial burden includes:
  • Direct medical expenses, such as treatment and medicines.
  • Non-medical expenses, such as travel and accommodation.
  • Indirect costs, including loss of income due to illness and treatment.
  • This highlights the need to make TB diagnosis and treatment more affordable and accessible.

Multidrug-Resistant Tuberculosis (MDR-TB)

• Multidrug-resistant tuberculosis (MDR-TB) remains a major public health challenge and a threat to global health security.
• It is a form of TB that does not respond to at least the two most effective first-line anti-TB drugs: isoniazid and rifampicin.
• According to the report, only about two out of every five people with drug-resistant TB received treatment in 2025. This indicates the need to strengthen diagnosis, access to appropriate medicines and treatment facilities.

India's Initiatives to Eliminate Tuberculosis

India has taken several steps under the National TB Elimination Programme (NTEP) to reduce TB cases and deaths.

Major initiatives include:

1. TB Mukt Bharat Abhiyaan

• The campaign focuses on identifying TB cases through community participation, screening and improved access to treatment.
• Between December 7, 2024 and November 8, 2026, more than 25 crore people were covered under screening activities.

2. National TB Elimination Programme (NTEP):-The programme aims to strengthen TB diagnosis, treatment, prevention and patient support across the country.

3. Nikshay Poshan Yojana:-This scheme provides nutritional support to TB patients to help improve their health and treatment outcomes.

4. Nikshay Mitra Initiative:-Under this initiative, individuals, organisations and institutions can provide nutritional, social and additional support to TB patients.

5. Use of Artificial Intelligence (AI) in TB Detection

• India is using AI-based tools to improve TB detection and identify high-risk patients.
• These include AI-enabled chest X-rays, tools for identifying disease hotspots and predicting patients at risk of poor treatment outcomes. 
• The government has also introduced Khushi, an AI chatbot and avatar-based video bot to support awareness and communication.

What is Tuberculosis (TB)?

• Tuberculosis is an infectious disease caused by the bacterium Mycobacterium tuberculosis. It most commonly affects the lungs, although it can also affect other parts of the body.
• Transmission: TB spreads through the air when a person with active TB of the lungs coughs, sneezes or spits.
• Symptoms: Common symptoms include a persistent cough, fever, night sweats, weight loss, fatigue and loss of appetite.
• Prevention and Treatment: TB is preventable and curable. Early diagnosis and completion of the prescribed treatment are essential to control its spread.

Conclusion

India's 38% reduction in TB-related deaths since 2015 reflects progress in diagnosis, treatment and nutritional support. However, the high share of global TB cases, the burden of drug-resistant TB and the financial difficulties faced by patients remain major challenges.

Strengthening public healthcare services, ensuring early diagnosis, improving nutrition and providing affordable treatment will be essential to achieving India's goal of eliminating tuberculosis.

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