New Delhi: India recorded a 38 per cent reduction in TB mortality since 2015, compared to a global decline of 35%, alongside a 94 per cent treatment success rate among patients with drug-susceptible TB, according to the World Health Organization’s (WHO) Global Tuberculosis Report 2026.
India’s estimated TB mortality rate declined from 28 per lakh population in 2015 to 18 per lakh in 2025.
In a release, the Union Health Ministry attributed the progress to intensified interventions under the National TB Elimination Programme (NTEP), including proactive case finding, use of AI enabled X-rays, rapid diagnostics, prompt treatment initiation, differentiated TB care, and nutritional support through the Ni-kshay Poshan Yojana and Ni-kshay Mitra initiative.
According to the Ministry, under the TB Mukt Bharat Abhiyaan, more than 25 crore people have been brought under intensified screening activities between December 7, 2024 and November 8, 2026. The campaign has facilitated over 11 crore chest X-rays and more than three crore nucleic acid amplification tests (NAAT).
During this time, 48.64 lakh new TB cases were identified, including 14.97 lakh asymptomatic cases.
The ministry also highlighted the use of advanced technologies to make TB screening and diagnosis faster, more accurate and accessible.
“The deployment of portable AI-enabled digital X-rays, expansion of rapid molecular diagnostic technologies, including NAAT, and strengthening of diagnostic infrastructure have significantly enhanced the programme’s ability to reach populations across diverse geographical and social settings,” it said.
