India’s tuberculosis (TB) incidence has fallen significantly, with new cases declining by 21%—from 237 cases per lakh population in 2015 to 187 per lakh in 2024. According to the WHO Global TB Report 2025, released on November 12, 2025, this reduction is almost double the global decline of 12%.
India Outpaces Other High-Burden Countries
The Union Health Ministry noted that this is one of the highest declines in TB incidence worldwide, surpassing reductions recorded in other high-burden nations. India’s steady progress highlights the impact of accelerated detection, treatment expansion, and community-level interventions.
Treatment Coverage Surges Through Innovation
The Ministry attributed this achievement to India’s innovative case-finding strategies, rapid adoption of new diagnostic technologies, and the decentralisation of TB services. As a result, treatment coverage increased to over 92% in 2024, up from 53% in 2015.
In 2024 alone, 26.18 lakh TB patients were diagnosed, out of an estimated 27 lakh cases.
Missing TB Cases Reduced Drastically
Because of improved detection efforts, the number of “missing cases” — individuals with TB who remained unreported — dropped sharply from 15 lakh in 2015 to less than one lakh in 2024. This marks a major milestone in India’s surveillance and reporting systems.
MDR-TB Trends Remain Stable
As reported by The Hindu, the report noted no significant increase in multidrug-resistant (MDR) TB cases. Meanwhile, India’s treatment success rate under the TB Mukt Bharat Abhiyan reached 90%, surpassing the global average of 88%.
TB Mortality Continues to Decline
India also recorded a substantial decrease in TB-related deaths. Mortality fell from 28 per lakh population in 2015 to 21 per lakh in 2024, demonstrating steady progress in preventing TB fatalities.
TB Mukt Bharat Abhiyan Expands Its Reach
Since its launch in December 2024, the TB Mukt Bharat Abhiyan has made significant strides. The programme screened over 19 crore vulnerable individuals across the country. This extensive outreach led to the detection of more than 24.5 lakh TB patients, including 8.61 lakh asymptomatic cases.