Lok Sabha Question No. 1623 (UNSTARRED), answered on 2022-12-16
Subject: Rank of India in TB Cases
Ministry: HEALTH AND FAMILY WELFARE
Asked by: S. Jagathrakshakan, Ravneet Singh, Behanan Benny, Balashowry Vallabbhaneni, Lavu Sri Krishna Devarayalu

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

## LOK SABHA UNSTARRED QUESTION 1623

## TO BE ANSWERED ON 16 th  DECEMBER, 2022

## RANK OF INDIA IN TB CASES

## 1623. SHRI S. JAGATHRAKSHAKAN:

SHRI RAVNEET SINGH BITTU:

SHRI BENNY BEHANAN:

SHRI BALASHOWRY VALLABHANENI:

SHRI LAVU SRI KRISHNA DEVARAYALU:

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

- (a) whether the Government is aware that India is among the eight countries accounting for more than 68% of the total TB patients' count;
- (b) whether the Government has conducted any study to ascertain the reasons for this growing number of TB and MDR-TB cases in the country and if so, the details thereof, State/UT-wise; and
- (c) the measures taken by the Government to reduce the number of TB and MDR-TB cases in the country?

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

## ANSWER (DR. BHARATI PRAVIN PAWAR)

- (a)  to  (c):  As  per  the  Global  TB  Report  2022  released  by  World  Health  Organisation  (WHO), India accounted for 28% of the global burden.

The incidence of TB in India has reduced by 18% from 256/lakh population in 2015 to 210/lakh population in 2021. At the same time, the estimates of Drug Resistant TB  in India has reduced by 20% from 1.49 lakh in 2015 to 1.19 lakh in 2021.

The measures taken by the Government to reduce the number of TB and MDR-TB cases in the country:

- 1) The Government of India has developed a National Strategic Plan (2017-25) for Ending TB in the country by 2025.The key focus areas are:
2.  Early  diagnosis  of  all  the  TB  patients,  prompt  treatment  with  quality  assured  drugs  and treatment regimens along with suitable patient support systems to promote adherence.
3.  Engaging with the patients seeking care in the private sector.
4.  Prevention  strategies  including  active  case  finding  and  contact  tracing  in  high  risk  / vulnerable population
5.  Airborne infection control.
6.  Multi-sectoral response for addressing social determinants.
- 2) Availability of molecular diagnostics has been scaled up to 4761 machines covering all districts in the country. In addition, 79 Line Probe Assay labs and 96 liquid culture testing laboratories have been established in the country for diagnosis of MDR-TB and XDR-TB.
- 3) Universal Drug Susceptibility Testing (UDST) is implemented under the NTEP to ensure every diagnosed  TB  patient  is  tested  to  rule  out  drug  resistance  before  or  at  the  time  of  treatment initiation itself.
- 4) Newer drugs like Bedaquiline and Delamanid have also been made available for management of DRTB.
- 5) Decentralized DR TB treatment services are offered through 162 Nodal DR-TB Centres and 614 District DR TB centres across the country.
- 6) Pradhan Mantri TB Mukt Bharat Abhiyan (PMTBMBA):
12. o launched by the Ministry on 9 th September 2022 for community support to TB patients with the objective to provide people with TB with additional nutritional, diagnostic and vocational support
13. o Ni-kshay 2.0 portal has been developed and made available in public domain for facilitating the community to register as Ni-kshay Mitra
14. o Guidance documents have been developed and shared with all State/UTs to implement the initiative
15. o Periodic reviews are done to monitor the progress of the initiative at National and State/UT levels

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