India reports 38% decline in tuberculosis deaths since 2015
The World Health Organization’s 2026 report notes a 38% drop in TB mortality in India since 2015 and a 94% treatment success rate for drug-susceptible cases, reflecting expanded national elimination efforts.
India has recorded a 38% reduction in tuberculosis (TB) deaths since 2015, surpassing the global decline of 35%, according to the World Health Organization’s Global Tuberculosis Report 2026. The same report cites a 94% treatment success rate among patients with drug-susceptible TB.
The decline is attributed to intensified measures under the National TB Elimination Programme (NTEP), which includes AI-enabled chest X-rays, rapid diagnostic testing, prompt treatment initiation, differentiated care, and nutritional support. The programme, renamed from the Revised National Tuberculosis Control Program in 2020, follows four pillars: detect, treat, prevent, and build.
Key components of NTEP involve early diagnosis through high-quality testing and community outreach, provision of quality-assured drugs for both drug-susceptible and drug-resistant TB, engagement with private-sector providers, and patient-centric support such as direct benefit transfers and the Ni-kshay Mitra initiative. Additional actions include contact tracing, preventive treatment for high-risk groups, airborne infection control, and multi-sectoral responses to social determinants.
The Pradhan Mantri-TB Mukt Bharat Abhiyaan, launched in September 2022, aims to mobilise a nationwide ‘people’s movement’ to accelerate TB elimination. Complementary campaigns include the 100-Day TB Mukt Bharat Abhiyan, first launched in December 2024 and expanded in March 2026 to target high-risk villages, wards, and congregate settings. The campaigns reported screening over 25 crore individuals, conducting more than 11 crore chest X-rays, and identifying 48.64 lakh new TB cases, including 14.97 lakh asymptomatic cases.
Financial assistance for patients is provided through the Ni-kshay Poshan Yojana, which disbursed Rs 4,454.68 crore to 1.38 crore beneficiaries since 2018. The Ni-kshay Mitra programme encourages volunteers from NGOs, corporations, community groups, and public figures to support patients with food, psychosocial aid, and vocational guidance.
In October 2026, a social-media drive featuring Joint Squad for Health (JOSH) teams was launched across 11 states to further raise awareness and promote early detection, treatment adherence, and stigma-free communities.