Lok Sabha Question No. 3628 (UNSTARRED), answered on 2025-03-21
Subject: Multi-Drug Resistant Tuberculosis
Ministry: HEALTH AND FAMILY WELFARE
Asked by: Shri Arun Govil, Shri Balabhadra Majhi, Smt. Kamaljeet Sehrawat, Shri Manoj Tiwari, Shri Dineshbhai Makwana, Shri Kanwar Singh Tanwar, Smt. Bharti Pardhi, Shri Chavda Vinod Lakhamshi, Shri Tapir Gao, Shri Shankar Lalwani, Shri Gajendra  Singh Patel, Dr. Rajesh Mishra, Smt. Kamlesh Jangde, Shri Praveen Patel, Shri Yogender Chandolia, Shri Rajkumar Chahar, Shri Jai Prakash, Shri Bidyut Baran Mahato, Dr. K Sudhakar, Shri Bhojraj Nag, Dr. Hemant Vishnu Savara, Shri Dharambir Singh, Shri Naba Charan Majhi, Shri Pradeep Kumar Singh, Shri Shrirang Appa Chandu Barne, Shri Dilip Saikia, Smt. Mahima Kumari Mewar, Shri Trivendra Singh Rawat, Shri P P Chaudhary, Shri Lumbaram Choudhary, Shri Janardan Mishra, Shri Jaswantsinh Sumanbhai Bhabhor, Shri Suresh Kumar Kashyap, Shri Captain Brijesh Chowta

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

## LOK SABHA UNSTARRED QUESTION NO. 3628 TO BE ANSWERED ON 21 ST MARCH, 2025

## MULTI-DRUG RESISTANT TUBERCULOSIS

†3628. SMT. KAMLESH JANGDE:

SHRI BALABHADRAMAJHI:

SHRI RAJKUMAR CHAHAR:

DR. HEMANT VISHNU SAVARA:

SHRI SHANKAR LALWANI:

SHRI NABACHARAN MAJHI:

SHRI TAPIR GAO:

SHRI DHARAMBIR SINGH:

DR. RAJESH MISHRA:

SHRI CAPTAIN BRIJESH CHOWTA:

SHRI SHRIRANG APPACHANDU BARNE:

SHRI PRAVEEN PATEL:

SHRI JANARDAN MISHRA:

SHRI SURESH KUMAR KASHYAP:

SHRI ARUN GOVIL:

SHRI JASWANTSINH SUMANBHAI BHABHOR:

SHRI BIDYUT BARAN MAHATO:

SHRI LUMBARAM CHAUDHARY:

SHRI GAJENDRASINGH PATEL:

SMT. MAHIMAKUMARI MEWAR:

SHRI CHAVDAVINOD LAKHAMSHI:

SMT. KAMALJEET SEHRAWAT:

SHRI PRADEEPKUMAR SINGH:

SHRI KANWAR SINGH TANWAR:

SMT. BHARTI PARDHI:

SHRI BHOJRAJ NAG:

SHRI YOGENDER CHANDOLIA:

SHRI TRIVENDRASINGH RAWAT:

SHRI P P CHAUDHARY:

DR. K SUDHAKAR:

SHRI DINESHBHAI MAKWANA:

SHRI JAI PRAKASH:

SHRI DILIP SAIKIA:

SHRI MANOJ TIWARI:

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

- (a) whether the Government has launched TB Free India Campaign across the country and if so, the details thereof;
- (b) the steps taken/proposed to be taken by the Government to ensure that TB patients complete their treatment plan in cases of Multi Drug-resistant tuberculosis (MDR-TB)

where completing the full course of treatment is a significant challenge alongwith the details of funding being made available in this regard;

- (c) the primary target for TB Free India Campaign alongwith the targeted year for achieving the same;
- (d) the manner in which TB Free India Campaign addresses the challenges of Multi Drug resistant tuberculosis (MDR-TB);
- (e) the specific awareness campaigns and interventions being undertaken to reduce TB stigma and encourage seeking early healthcare behaviour particularly in Amroha Parliamentary Constituency of Uttar Pradesh along with the number of awareness or health camps organised in Sidhi Parliamentary Constituency under the TB Free India Campaign; and
- (f) whether the Government is considering procurement and deployment of additional portable/handheld X-ray equipments in areas with higher number of TB disease particularly in the said Constituency and if so, the details thereof?

## ANSWER

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

(a) to (f) The Government has launched a 100-Day TB Mukt Bharat Abhiyan in identified 347 priority districts across 33 State/UTs, to accelerate the endeavour to achieve Sustainable Development Goals related to TB. Under the campaign in 347 districts (7 th Dec 2024 - 14 th Mar 2025) , 9.02 crore vulnerable individuals were screened and 3.01 lakh new TB cases identified, while 1.58 lakh TB patients successfully completed their treatment.

The Government, under the National TB Elimination Program (NTEP), has implemented a multi-pronged strategy to ensure Multi Drug Resistant TB (MDR-TB) patients complete their treatment. In view of the challenges in diagnosis and treatment to MDR-TB cases, the Government has taken following specific measures:

- Universal Drug Susceptibility Testing (UDST) is implemented to ensure every diagnosed TB patient is tested for drug resistance at the time of diagnosis.
- Scaling up molecular diagnostic laboratories to 8,295 Nucleic Acid Amplification Test (NAAT) machines to cover all districts of the country.
- 100 Line Probe Assay and 69 liquid culture testing laboratories have been established for diagnosis of multi drug resistance.
- 6 National Reference Laboratories and 34 Intermediate Reference Laboratories have been established in the country.
- 826 Drug Resistant TB treatment centres have been established across all districts.
- In 2021, shorter, safer, all oral drug resistant TB treatment regimen has been introduced.
- In 2024, a newer, shorter and more efficacious treatment regimen (BPaLM) consisting of four-drug combination - Bedaquiline, Pretomanid, Linezolid and Moxifloxacin has been introduced for management of drug-resistant TB Universal
- A nutritional support scheme implemented for providing ₹1000 per month to all TB patients, including MDR-TB cases, throughout treatment.

The primary target of 100 Days intensified TB Mukt Bharat Abhiyan launched on 7th December 2024, is to detect TB cases early, reduce TB related mortality and prevent new cases among the vulnerable population.

As part of Jan Bhagidari, efforts have been made for a whole of government approach to raise awareness, reduce stigma and improve health seeking behaviour among the vulnerable population. Through this campaign, vulnerable population were mobilized with the involvement of private sector, civil society organizations, local community volunteers and health workers in all focus districts, including Amroha district of Uttar Pradesh and Sidhi district of Madhya Pradesh.

During the campaign period, 4,324 and 2,456 Ni-kshay shivirs were reported to have been organised in Amroha and Sidhi districts, respectively, for providing awareness and screening the vulnerable population.

To enhance the availability of hand-held X-rays in high burden areas, the government has approved procurement for central supplies. In addition, based on need, adequate provisions for procurement have been made through National Health Mission for State/UTs.

*****