Tuberculosis continues to cast a long, dark shadow across the world. Every year, around 10 million people fall ill with this preventable and curable disease — and tragically, in 2023, 1.25 million lives were lost. Global efforts to fight TB have shown promise, with nearly 80 million lives saved since 2000. Despite this, TB remains the world’s leading infectious disease killer, even today.
In this global crisis, India carries an enormous responsibility: About a quarter of the global TB burden is found in the country. But rather than being overwhelmed by the scale of the challenge, India is stepping up and showing the world that with determination, innovation, and commitment, ending TB is possible.
Tuberculosis is a contagious bacterial infection caused by Mycobacterium tuberculosis, primarily affecting the lungs. Despite being both preventable and curable, TB remains a leading public health challenge in India, which accounts for the highest number of cases globally. The persistence of TB is driven by multiple factors: poverty, undernutrition, limited awareness about prevention, and delayed diagnosis. Stigma also deters many from seeking timely care.
India has consistently positioned itself at the forefront of the global fight against TB. It has moved quickly to translate emerging scientific evidence into real action on the ground — setting an example for others to follow. The country's bold strategies, backed by strong political will, are not only reshaping its own health landscape but are also offering a powerful model for the rest of the world. And the level of effort — and number of people reached — is overwhelming.
One of the most striking examples of this is the recently concluded 100-Day TB Mukt Bharat Abhiyaan, an intensified TB campaign aimed at quickly detecting and treating TB patients in the country’s 347 most affected districts over 100 days. New research indicates that about half of TB cases may be asymptomatic or subclinical — a form of the disease that also transmits to others. Recognizing the urgent need to find these hidden cases, India took a bold, proactive approach. During the 100-day campaign, it deployed AI-powered, portable chest X-ray machines and rapid molecular tests, as recommended internationally, to screen vulnerable and at-risk groups.
The results were remarkable: During this 100-day campaign, over 700,000 people with TB were diagnosed — and notably, 285,000 of them had no symptoms at all, indicating they had asymptomatic TB. This bold strategy — to actively seek out TB instead of waiting for it to present itself — is a game changer in efforts to combat the disease.
But India’s leadership in TB elimination goes far beyond this campaign. It’s built on a strong combination of political will, innovative tools, and people-centered programs — a commitment that is visible not just in policies, but also in the energy and passion at the grassroots level.
I experienced this energy firsthand at the One World TB Summit 2023. I will never forget the atmosphere that day — thousands of people, from health workers to community leaders, were buzzing with enthusiasm and hope. The sense of ambition and a collective mission was palpable. It was clear to me that TB elimination in India is not just a government program — it has shaped up as a people’s movement. Standing there, engulfed by everyone’s optimistic spirit, I was deeply moved and convinced that India’s fight against TB would inspire the world.
From this spirit flows a range of bold actions. For example, India’s Ni-kshay portal — the online patient management system for TB under the country’s National Tuberculosis Elimination Programme, or NTEP — enables real-time digital monitoring of TB across the country, showing that with the right technology, large-scale health management is possible.
Recognizing the critical role of nutrition in TB management, India introduced the Ni-kshay Poshan Yojana, a direct benefit transfer scheme under NTEP that offers people with TB a direct cash transfer of 1,000 Indian rupees (around $12) every month during their treatment. In addition, India introduced a new initiative to provide energy-dense nutritional supplementation, or EDNS, for undernourished people with TB. These impactful initiatives will help patients stay strong, complete their treatment, and improve their chances of full recovery.
Through the Ni-kshay Mitra program, India has gone a step further, encouraging citizens, businesses, and community groups to “adopt” people with TB and support not just their treatment, but their broader well-being, including nutritional needs for the entire family.
Crucially, India has also worked to decentralize TB services, ensuring that diagnosis and treatment are available closer to people’s homes. In a country as vast and diverse as India, this focus on accessibility is essential — and it is making a real difference.
The success of the 100-day campaign — combined with these people-centered, community-driven approaches — offers a compelling blueprint for countries around the world.
By proactively working to ensure access to diagnostic services for people who are most vulnerable — thus ensuring early diagnosis — and providing nutritional support to patients and their families, India is showing that it is possible to break the chain of TB transmission.
What sets India apart is not just the scale of its ambition, but the courage to back it up — embracing innovation, taking risks, and investing serious domestic resources to get the job done. From cutting-edge screening technologies to cash support for patients, India’s comprehensive approach sends a strong message: ending TB is not a distant dream. With the right mix of vision, science, compassion, and political will, it is achievable.
From its leadership to its contagious energy and unwavering commitment, India is not only fighting TB at home; it is offering hope and inspiration to the world.
