Lok Sabha Question No. 4057 (UNSTARRED), answered on 2019-01-04
Subject: TB cases
Ministry: HEALTH AND FAMILY WELFARE
Asked by: Shrirang Appa Barne, KONDA VISHWESHWAR REDDY, SHIVAJI ADHALRAO PATIL, FEROZE VARUN GANDHI, SHRIKANT EKNATH SHINDE, KUNWAR PUSHPENDRA SINGH CHANDEL, ANANDRAO  ADSUL, VINAYAK BHAURAO RAUT

## GOVERNMENT OF INDIA MINISTRY OF HEALTH AND FAMILY WELFARE DEPARTMENT OF HEALTH AND FAMILY WELFARE

## LOK  SABHA UNSTARRED QUESTION NO. 4057 TO BE ANSWERED ON 04 TH JANUARY, 2019

## TB CASES

4057. SHRI SHRIRANG APPA BARNE:

SHRI KONDA VISHWESHWAR REDDY:

SHRI ADHALRAO PATIL SHIVAJIRAO:

SHRI FEROZE VARUN GANDHI:

DR. SHRIKANT EKNATH SHINDE:

SHRI KUNWAR PUSHPENDRA SINGH CHANDEL:

SHRI ANANDRAO ADSUL:

SHRI VINAYAK BHAURAO RAUT:

Will the Minister of HEALTH AND FAMILY WELFARE be pleased to state:

- (a) whether the Government has taken note that India continues to have the maximum TB cases in the world as per the WHO 2018 TB report and if so, the reaction of the Government thereto;
- (b) whether there has been a rise in Multi - Drug Resistant (MDR) TB in the countr y and if so, the details thereof and steps taken to combat AntiBiotic Resistance (ABR) as a phenomenon;
- (c) whether the Government is aware that most of the deaths due to Tuberculosis (TB) in India occur among young and economically productive adults and if so, the details thereof and the causes of death among people aged between 30 - 69 years;
- (d) whether the Government has launched, a national mass media campaign 'Cough' to warn citizens about the links between TB and tobacco use and if so, the details th ereof; and
- (e) the details of plans chalked out by the Government with regard to creating awareness, timely diagnosis and treatment to eradicate TB from the country?

## ANSWER THE MINISTER OF STATE IN THE MINISTRY OF HEALTH AND FAMILY WELFARE

(SHRI ASHWINI KUMAR CHOUBEY)

- (a): Yes, as per the WHO 2018 report India is estimated to have the maximum TB cases i the world. However, in terms of incidence of Tuberculosis India ranks 35 th in the world.

(b): No, As per the WHO 2018 report the incidence of Multi - dr ug resistant TB cases in India has reduced. However the increase in notification is due to increase in number of dia facilities  and  number  of  TB  patients  screened  for  presence  of  drug  resistance.  During country  has  implemented  policy  of  testin g  for  presence  of  drug  resistance  in  all  notified  TB patients.

(c): As  perThe  Institute  for  Health  Metrics  and  Evaluation  (IHME) -Global  Burden  of Disease (GBD) Comparison :

- In total deaths among people of age group 15 - 49, tuberculosis accounts for 8.3% of total deaths which ranks 3 rd among all causes of death.
- In total deaths among people of age group 50 - 69, tuberculosis accounts for 5.8% of total deaths which ranks 4 th among all causes of death.

(d): A mass media campaign namely 'Cough' depicting the linkage between tobacco use and TB was undertaken on TV/Radio in the year 2017 for a period of 15 days and in the year for a period of one week. Now, the above campaign is underway for one month on TV/Radi during December 2018 -January 2019.

( e): The Ministry has developed the National Strategic Plan (NSP) for Tuberculosis (20 -2025) for ensuring timely diagnosis and treatment and the goal of eliminating TB by 2025.

The key focus areas are:

- Early diagnosis of all the TB patients, prompt treatm ent with quality assured drugs and treatment regimens along with suitable patient support systems to promote adherence
- Engaging with the patients seeking care in the private sector.
- Prevention  strategies  including  active  case  finding  and  contact  tracing in  high  risk  / vulnerable population
- Airborne infection control.
- Multi - sectoral response for addressing social determinants.

An intensified mass media campaign were run through different platform such as Audi -Visual (Television, Radio), Digital (3900 th eatre, 4 shows per day), Outdoor (Airport Hoardings, Gantry, Cantilever, Bus Queue Shelter, Bus Branding) Print (advertisement in Newspaper s as Gazette Notification, World TB Day), Social platform such as YouTube, Twitter at National Level.