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India has recorded a 38 per cent decline in tuberculosis (TB) mortality since 2015, according to the World Health Organization's (WHO) Global Tuberculosis Report 2026.
According to the report released on November 12, India's estimated TB mortality rate fell from 28 deaths per lakh population in 2015 to 18 per lakh in 2025, compared to a global reduction of 35 per cent.
The report also records a 94 per cent treatment success rate among patients with drug-susceptible TB. Meanwhile, intensified screening under the government's TB Mukt Bharat Abhiyaan has identified 48.64 lakh new TB cases, including nearly 15 lakh asymptomatic cases.
The detection of 14.97 lakh people without symptoms highlights the role of proactive screening in identifying infections that may otherwise go undetected, delaying treatment and potentially contributing to further transmission.
Between December 7, 2024, and November 8, 2026, more than 25 crore people were brought under the screening programme. Over 11 crore chest X-rays were conducted, along with more than 3 crore nucleic acid amplification tests (NAAT), which are used for rapid molecular diagnosis.
The first intensified 100-day screening campaign was launched on December 7, 2024, across 347 high-priority districts in 33 states and Union Territories. It was subsequently expanded nationwide. A second 100-day campaign was launched on March 24, 2026, focusing on 1.58 lakh high-risk villages and wards, congregate settings and vulnerable populations.
AI-enabled screening and early diagnosis
The National TB Elimination Programme has increasingly incorporated technology into screening and diagnosis. Portable AI-enabled digital X-rays and rapid molecular diagnostic tests are being used to identify cases, particularly among high-risk populations.
AI tools are also being used to identify disease hotspots and predict which patients are at greater risk of adverse treatment outcomes. The programme has introduced tools such as the Khushi AI chatbot and Avatar Videobot, alongside the Ni-kshay digital platform, which supports patient tracking, treatment monitoring and programme management.
TB screening is also being integrated with the identification and management of other health conditions, including diabetes and undernutrition, to provide more comprehensive patient care.
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Nutritional support and treatment outcomes
Nutritional assistance remains a key component of India's TB treatment programme. Under the Ni-kshay Poshan Yojana, eligible patients receive financial assistance towards their nutritional requirements during treatment.
The Ni-kshay Mitra initiative encourages individuals, institutions and organisations to provide nutritional and psychosocial support to people undergoing TB treatment.
According to the government, these interventions, along with improved diagnostics, timely treatment initiation and patient follow-up, have contributed to better treatment outcomes.
In another development, 67,933 Panchayats were declared TB-free in 2025.
India meets 96 per cent of its TB programme funding requirements through domestic resources, according to the government.
The funding supports screening, diagnosis, treatment, preventive interventions, nutritional assistance and community outreach under the National TB Elimination Programme.
Community participation and youth involvement
Community participation has been a key component of the screening and treatment programme, with Panchayati Raj institutions, urban local bodies, elected representatives, civil society organisations, private healthcare providers, corporate partners and community leaders involved in awareness, screening and patient support.
The government has also introduced JOSH Teams to increase youth participation in TB elimination efforts. Teams are being constituted at block and ward levels, led by designated Class-I officers and supported by five NCC cadets and five MY Bharat volunteers.
The teams are expected to participate in awareness campaigns, community outreach and mobilisation activities.
WHO estimates draw on multiple data sources
The WHO's assessment of India's TB mortality draws on multiple sources, including the Registrar General of India's Sample Registration System (RGI/SRS), community-based verbal autopsy assessments and programme data from the Ni-kshay portal.
The Indian Council of Medical Research's National Institute for Research in Tuberculosis (ICMR-NIRT) conducted a nationally representative TB prevalence survey in 2025. The findings have been shared with the WHO and are currently under technical discussion. The WHO is expected to publish an updated country profile for India following the discussions.
While the decline in mortality and the high treatment success rate indicate progress, the detection of millions of TB cases through intensified screening underlines the continuing burden of the disease.
The focus of India's TB programme remains on early detection, access to rapid diagnostics, timely treatment, preventive therapy, nutritional support and sustained community participation.
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