Committed to End Tuberculosis by 2025: Ashwini Kumar Choubey

Govt of India has committed to ending tuberculosis by 2025. Globally, the average rate of decline in the TB incidence rate was 1.8 percent between 2016 and 2017.In India, rate of decline in TB incidence rate was 3.3 percent between 2016 and 2017 as compared to 2.3 percent between 2015 and 2016. The National Strategic Plan 2017-25 for TB elimination by 2025 was developed in 2017 and included various interventions through multi-stakeholder engagement to reduce the burden of TB. These interventions are being implemented from 2017 onwards and the impact of these would be evident in the subsequent years. There are various types of TB tests. When a tuberculosis skin test (TST) is positive, it is not always a cause of worry, as the person might only have infection and not have the disease. When a sputum microscopy or molecular test is positive, a diagnosis of TB is confirmed and although a cause for concern, the patient improves if promptly started on Anti-TB treatment and generally becomes non-infectious in 2-3 weeks. The Government is focusing on identifying additional cases among family contacts of people whose sputum samples have tested positive. As per the current guidelines preventive treatment is offered to those eligible below 6 years of age and immune compromised individuals like person living with HIV (PLHIV). The Minister of State (Health and Family Welfare), Ashwini Kumar Choubey stated this in a written reply in the Lok Sabha. – PIB