India reports 38% decline in TB mortality

NEW DELHI: India has recorded a 38 per cent decline in tuberculosis (TB) mortality since 2015, surpassing the global reduction of 35 per cent, according to the World Health Organization’s (WHO) Global Tuberculosis Report 2026. Union Health Minister Jagat Prakash Nadda on Friday welcomed the findings and reiterated the government’s commitment to achieving a TB-Mukt Bharat.

The report also recorded a 94 per cent treatment success rate among patients with drug-susceptible TB. India’s TB mortality rate declined from 28 deaths per lakh population in 2015 to 18 deaths per lakh in 2025. The WHO South-East Asia Regional Office acknowledged India’s contribution to reducing TB deaths across the region.

Nadda said the country’s fight against tuberculosis had developed into a nationwide public movement supported by technology, community participation and patient-centred healthcare.

Under the TB Mukt Bharat Abhiyaan, more than 25 crore people have been covered through intensified screening. The campaign has included over 11 crore chest X-rays and three crore molecular tests, leading to the detection of 48.64 lakh TB cases.

The government has introduced technology-based measures, including artificial intelligence-enabled portable chest X-rays and rapid molecular diagnostic tools. The Ni-kshay digital platform supports treatment monitoring, while the Ni-kshay Poshan Yojana provides nutritional assistance.

Community involvement has expanded, with 67,933 panchayats declared TB-free in 2025.

The government said 96 per cent of the funding required for the TB programme was being met through domestic resources.