India's TB Elimination Achievements Highlighted in WHO Global Report 2026
The Ministry of Health and Family Welfare announced significant progress in India's tuberculosis elimination efforts, as documented in the WHO Global Tuberculosis Report 2026. India recorded a 38% reduction in TB mortality since 2015, outperforming the global decline of 35%. The country achieved a 94% treatment success rate among patients with drug-susceptible TB, reflecting strengthened diagnosis, timely treatment, and comprehensive patient care under the National TB Elimination Programme (NTEP).
Scale of TB Mukt Bharat Abhiyaan
The TB elimination campaign reached over 25 crore people through intensified screening efforts, conducting more than 11 crore chest X-rays and 3 crore molecular tests. These efforts resulted in the detection of 48.64 lakh TB cases, including nearly 15 lakh asymptomatic cases that were identified through proactive screening, enabling early diagnosis and timely treatment initiation. The mortality rate declined from 28 deaths per lakh population in 2015 to 18 deaths per lakh in 2025.
Technological and Community Initiatives
The programme leveraged AI-enabled portable digital chest X-rays, rapid molecular diagnostic technologies, and the Ni-kshay digital platform for strengthened screening, diagnosis, and treatment monitoring. Nutritional assistance was provided under the Ni-kshay Poshan Yojana, while community support was mobilized through the Ni-kshay Mitra initiative. In 2025, 67,933 Panchayats were declared TB-free, demonstrating growing grassroots involvement. The JOSH Teams initiative further expanded community engagement by bringing together government officials, NCC cadets, and MY Bharat volunteers for awareness generation and outreach.
Funding and Recognition
India demonstrated strong ownership of its TB response with 96% of programme funding requirements met through domestic resources. The WHO South-East Asia Regional Office recognized India's significant contribution to reducing TB mortality across the region. The TB Mukt Bharat Abhiyaan was initially launched as an intensified 100-day campaign in December 2024 and subsequently expanded nationwide, with a further intensified campaign launched in March 2026 focusing on early detection and timely treatment among vulnerable and high-risk populations.