India’s Big Step Against TB: 21% Drop in Cases, Double Global Rate
India’s TB incidence has dropped by 21% from 2015 to 2024, nearly twice the global rate of decline. Government efforts, tech adoption, and awareness drives have made this possible.
TB (PC- Social Media)
India has achieved something remarkable. The number of new TB cases in the country has fallen by 21% — from 237 per lakh in 2015 to 187 per lakh in 2024. This decline is almost double the global average of 12%, according to the World Health Organization’s Global TB Report 2025. That means India’s fight against TB is moving faster than most countries in the world right now.
The Health Ministry credits this success to faster case detection, better access to treatment, and huge community involvement. More than 92% of patients now receive timely treatment, compared to only 53% in 2015. This shows how quickly India has expanded its healthcare coverage.
Government Efforts That Changed Everything
The big push came with the TB Mukt Bharat Abhiyan, launched in December 2024. It’s a nationwide mission to completely eliminate tuberculosis from India. The campaign reached more than 19 crore vulnerable people through large-scale screenings. That helped detect over 24.5 lakh TB patients, including more than 8 lakh who didn’t even show symptoms at first.
The focus on finding “missing cases” — people who had TB but were never diagnosed — has paid off. In 2015, around 15 lakh TB cases went unreported. By 2024, that number dropped to less than one lakh. This improvement is one of the biggest reasons for the 21% fall in TB incidence.
TB Deaths Also Dropped Sharply
The TB mortality rate has gone down too. In 2015, 28 people out of every lakh died due to TB. By 2024, that number fell to 21 per lakh. That’s a big step toward saving thousands of lives every year.
The treatment success rate under the TB Mukt Bharat Abhiyan has now touched 90%, slightly above the global rate of 88%. This success shows that early detection, proper medication, and nutritional support can make a huge difference in recovery.
How Funding and Technology Made It Possible
Money and modern tools both played a huge role. The Indian government increased funding for the TB program nearly ten times over the last nine years. This funding helped hospitals and labs adopt newer diagnostic tools and digital monitoring systems to track patient progress.
The decentralisation of healthcare services — taking medical help closer to small towns and villages — also made a big difference. Local health workers became the bridge between patients and doctors, ensuring people got the right treatment on time.
Support Systems That Keep Patients Strong
Good food and nutrition are key for TB recovery. The government increased financial aid under the Ni-kshay Poshan Yojana from Rs 500 to Rs 1,000 per month for every patient throughout their treatment. Since 2018, Rs 4,406 crore has been directly transferred to the bank accounts of 1.37 crore TB patients under this scheme.
At the same time, more than 6.7 lakh people and organisations have joined as Ni-kshay Mitras, distributing over 45 lakh food baskets to TB patients. These efforts have built a strong public-private partnership in the fight against tuberculosis.
India’s Global Impact and Future Goals
India’s progress has become a model for other developing nations. The WHO report mentions that India’s rate of TB decline is much faster than expected and is a major contributor to the global fall in TB numbers. The government is now targeting complete elimination of TB by 2025, ahead of the global goal of 2030.
What makes this progress even more meaningful is that there’s been no major rise in MDR-TB (multi-drug resistant TB) cases. That’s a sign that treatment quality and follow-up are improving.
Conclusion: A Health Milestone India Can Be Proud Of
India’s 21% drop in TB incidence proves that determined policies, better funding, and community awareness can create real change. Millions of lives have improved because the country took a collective stand against the disease.
From big cities to remote villages, every doctor, nurse, health volunteer, and patient who played a part in this success is shaping a healthier India. The fight is not over yet, but with the same spirit, India is well on its way to becoming TB-free sooner than anyone expected.