A new edge to the fight against tuberculosis

Context

At the recent One World TB Summit, Prime Minister instilled fresh energy into the global tuberculosis (TB) elimination response and reiterated India’s commitment to spearhead this effort. 

Role of India in fighting against TB

• National TB Elimination Programme-India’s National TB Elimination Programme (NTEP) has introduced several measures to and, notify and treat TB cases.
• Engagement with the private sector- The novel approaches including engagement with the private sector, the launch of social support provisions, and the introduction of diagnostic tools and new drug regimens, have improved TB management.
• Investing in health research- India has long recognized the importance of investing in health research and development, especially in recent years to find new ways to curb TB.

Challenges Faced

• Poor assessment- There is a lack of an honest assessment of the TB situation in India.
• The problem of awareness- There is a lack of widespread awareness about the disease and about the medical care
• Lack of vaccine-India does have the Bacille Calmette­Gue?rin (BCG) vaccine for TB, but it does not adequately protect adolescents and adults who are at the highest risk for developing and spreading TB.