India Records 21% Decline in Tuberculosis Cases Over Last Decade: WHO Report

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India Records 21% Decline in Tuberculosis Cases Over Last Decade: WHO Report

The World Health Organization’s Global TB Report 2025 highlights a 21% decline in India’s total tuberculosis (TB) cases over the last decade — nearly double the global average reduction of 12%.
TB cases in India fell from 237 per lakh population in 2015 to 187 per lakh in 2024, reflecting substantial progress in public health efforts.
According to the Health Ministry, this improvement stems from a more robust case-finding strategy, leading to better diagnosis and wider treatment coverage.
Importantly, there has been no significant rise in multidrug-resistant TB (MDR-TB), a major concern in TB management globally.
Mortality due to TB has also decreased from 28 per lakh in 2015 to 21 per lakh in 2024, indicating improved healthcare access and outcomes.
Several government initiatives are driving this progress:
- TB Mukt Bharat Abhiyan – focused on eliminating TB by 2025 through community participation.
- Ayushman Arogya Mandirs – strengthening primary health services and TB screening.
- Ni-kshay Poshan Yojana – providing nutritional support to TB patients during treatment.

Tuberculosis (TB) is a bacterial infectious disease caused by Mycobacterium tuberculosis, primarily affecting the lungs but capable of spreading to other organs.
It spreads through airborne droplets when infected individuals cough or sneeze.
India accounts for the highest global TB burden, but ongoing national and international collaborations aim to achieve TB elimination by 2025, five years ahead of the global SDG target (2030).
The Global TB Report is published annually by the World Health Organization (WHO) to assess progress in global TB control.

Updated – 13 Nov 2025 ; 08:15 AM | NewsOnAir