Termed as the severest crisis in a century, the COVID-19 pandemic dislodged the entire health system in India, sidelining other public health issues, and tuberculosis was no exception. Until COVID-19 arrived, TB, an ancient though curable disease, was India’s biggest killer.
Recent headlines talk about India’s determination to eliminate TB by 2025. This would be welcome news, but we should ask if the current efforts are in the right direction. Despite an extensive national programme and a vast private sector, India is the global epicentre for TB, with an estimated 2.8 million TB cases, and with TB killing more than 4,00,000 Indians every year. Additionally, a growing burden of drug resistant TB (DR-TB) now threatens the progress made in basic TB management. Truth be told, India’s TB crisis is a global problem.
Also Read | India to be TB-free by 2025, says Minister
