India recorded a dramatic decrease in Tuberculosis (TB) cases during the pandemic. Restrictions on movement, the risks involved in going to healthcare facilities, and the diversion of hospital resources for COVID-19 treatment hindered those with TB from getting diagnosed and treated. Data show that the number of ‘active case findings’ campaigns also decreased. Active case findings are done among targeted risk groups, including people with diabetes, chronic kidney and liver disease, and patients on immunosuppressants, with the primary objective of detecting TB cases early. With an exception of Nigeria, a fall in case notifications was observed in many other high-burden countries in the world, including China, Indonesia and Pakistan in 2020 and 2021, other than India. However, India featured among the top five countries in terms of the quantum of fall in cases.
Active case findings
The chart shows the number of active case findings of TB in India. While the number was 27.74 crore in 2019, it reduced to 17.19 crore in 2020 and to 2.23 crore in 2021. If not for the special drives conducted after September, the 2021 numbers would have been fewer
