Lok Sabha Question No. 3003 (UNSTARRED), answered on 2024-12-13
Subject: Treatment of TB in North East
Ministry: HEALTH AND FAMILY WELFARE
Asked by: Shri Gaurav Gogoi

## GOVERNMENTOFINDIA MINISTRYOF HEALTH AND FAMILYWELFARE DEPARTMENTOFHEALTH AND FAMILYWELFARE

## LOK SABHA UNSTARRED QUESTION No. 3003 TO BE ANSWERED ON 13 th DECEMBER, 2024

## TREATMENT OF TB IN NORTH EAST

## 3003. SHRI GAURAV GOGOI:

Will the Minister of HEALTH AND FAMILYWELFARE be pleased to state:

- (a) the current rate of TB case detection and notification in the country, State/UT-wise;
- (b) whether the Government has implemented any strategies to improve early diagnosis and prompt treatment initiation specially in rural and remote areas of the North East and if so, the details thereof;
- (c) the steps taken/proposed to be taken by the Government to strengthen preventive measures, such as vaccination and contact tracing, to reduce the spread of TB in the country; and
- (d) whether the Government is planning to invest in TB research, particularly in areas such as drug development, diagnostics, and vaccine research in the country and if so, the details thereof?

## ANSWER THE MINISTER OFSTATE IN THE MINISTRY OF HEALTH AND FAMILY WELFARE (SMT. ANUPRIYAPATEL)

(a) to (d) The current rate for TB cases notified in the country in 2024 (Jan-Oct) is 182 per lakh population, State/UT-wise details are at Annexure.

The National TB Elimination Programme (NTEP) under the aegis of National Health Mission (NHM) is implemented across the country, including rural and remote areas of the North East with the following objectives:

-  Early diagnosis of TB and prompt treatment with quality assured drugs & treatment regimens.
-  Active case finding and contact tracing in high risk /vulnerable population;
-  Airborne infection control;
-  Multi-sectoral response for addressing social determinants.

Further, the Government has taken following steps for early diagnosis, prompt treatment and preventive measures as under:

-  Targeted interventions in high TB burden areas through State and district specific strategic plans.
-  Provision of free drugs and diagnostics to TB patients.
-  Active TB case finding campaigns in key vulnerable populations and individuals with comorbidities.
-  Incentives of Rs 750 (one time) for TB patients in tribal, hilly and difficult to reach areas
-  Decentralized TB screening and treatment services to the level of Ayushman Arogya Mandir.
-  Private sector engagement with incentives for notification and management of TB cases.
-  Scale up of molecular diagnostic laboratories to sub-district levels.
-  Intensified Information, Education & Communication (IEC) interventions to reduce stigma, enhance community awareness and improve health seeking behaviour.
-  Converge efforts and resources of line ministries for TB elimination.
-  Provision of TB Preventive Treatment to contacts of TB patients and vulnerable population.
-  Track notified TB cases and their contacts through Ni-kshay portal.
-  BCG vaccination at birth, as part of Universal Immunisation Programme.
-  Provision of TB Preventive Treatment to eligible contacts of TB patients and vulnerable population.

The Government has invested in diverse thematic areas of TB research viz., drug development, diagnostics, and vaccine research through the Indian Council of Medical Research (ICMR). This intervention has registered the following achievements:

-  A network of reference laboratories across the country to evaluate clinical performance of newer diagnostics developed.
-  Anewer point of care diagnostic tools for TB and drug resistant TB evaluated.
-  Anewer handheld X-ray machines to enhance market competitiveness evaluated.
-  AI tools for X-ray reading and line probe assay tests evaluated.
-  Research project for screening and active case finding in the community through hand-held Xrays completed.
-  Clinical trials conducted successfully to evaluate efficacy and safety of drug regimens in drug sensitive (DS) and drug resistant (DR) TB
-  Clinical trials carried out for potential TB vaccines and adult BCG vaccination study
-  Implementation research conducted to demonstrate strategic, cost-effective and scalable district models for TB programme

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Annexure referred to in reply to parts (a) to (d) of Lok Sabha Unstarred Question No. 3003 for answer on 13/12/2024

| State-wise TB case notification rate (per lakh   |   population) in the current year (2024) 2024* (Jan-Oct) |
|--------------------------------------------------|----------------------------------------------------------|
| Andaman &Nicobar Islands                         |                                                      137 |
| Andhra Pradesh                                   |                                                      156 |
| Arunachal Pradesh                                |                                                      113 |
| Assam                                            |                                                      139 |
| Bihar                                            |                                                      151 |
| Chandigarh                                       |                                                      573 |
| Chhattisgarh                                     |                                                      129 |
| Dadra and Nagar Haveli and Daman and Diu         |                                                      118 |
| Delhi                                            |                                                      534 |
| Goa                                              |                                                      130 |
| Gujarat                                          |                                                      190 |
| Haryana                                          |                                                      284 |
| Himachal Pradesh                                 |                                                      207 |
| Jammu &Kashmir                                   |                                                       82 |
| Jharkhand                                        |                                                      152 |
| Karnataka                                        |                                                      105 |
| Kerala                                           |                                                       59 |
| Ladakh                                           |                                                      108 |
| Lakshadweep                                      |                                                       11 |
| Madhya Pradesh                                   |                                                      201 |
| Maharashtra                                      |                                                      174 |
| Manipur                                          |                                                       64 |
| Meghalaya                                        |                                                      118 |
| Mizoram                                          |                                                      179 |
| Nagaland                                         |                                                      196 |
| Odisha                                           |                                                      124 |
| Puducherry                                       |                                                      212 |
| Punjab                                           |                                                      195 |
| Rajasthan                                        |                                                      214 |
| Sikkim                                           |                                                      200 |
| Tamil Nadu                                       |                                                      121 |
| Telangana                                        |                                                      185 |
| Tripura                                          |                                                       81 |
| Uttar Pradesh                                    |                                                      276 |
| Uttarakhand                                      |                                                      245 |
| West Bengal                                      |                                                      101 |

Data source: Ni-kshay