{"id":36192,"date":"2025-01-25T19:23:17","date_gmt":"2025-01-25T13:53:17","guid":{"rendered":"https:\/\/www.nextias.com\/ca\/?p=36192"},"modified":"2025-01-25T19:53:09","modified_gmt":"2025-01-25T14:23:09","slug":"endtb-campaign","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/www.nextias.com\/ca\/editorial-analysis\/25-01-2025\/endtb-campaign","title":{"rendered":"India\u2019s Winding Road To \u2018EndTB\u2019"},"content":{"rendered":"\n<p><strong>Syllabus: GS2\/Health<\/strong><\/p>\n\n\n\n<h2 class=\"wp-block-heading\"><strong>Context<\/strong><\/h2>\n\n\n\n<ul class=\"wp-block-list\">\n<li>India&#8217;s journey towards <strong>eliminating tuberculosis (TB) by 2025<\/strong>, under the <strong>ambitious &#8216;EndTB&#8217; campaign<\/strong>, has been fraught with challenges and complexities.&nbsp;<\/li>\n\n\n\n<li>Despite significant strides, the road to achieving the targets set by the World Health Organization (WHO) remains steep and winding.<\/li>\n<\/ul>\n\n\n\n<h2 class=\"wp-block-heading\"><strong>About the Tuberculosis (TB)<\/strong><\/h2>\n\n\n\n<ul class=\"wp-block-list\">\n<li>It is an infectious disease that most often affects the lungs and is caused by the bacteria <strong>Mycobacterium tuberculosis.&nbsp;&nbsp;<\/strong>\n<ul class=\"wp-block-list\">\n<li>It spreads through the air when infected people cough, sneeze or spit.<\/li>\n<\/ul>\n<\/li>\n\n\n\n<li>It is the <strong>world&#8217;s leading infectious disease killer.<\/strong> It is the leading cause of deaths among <strong>people with HIV <\/strong>and a major contributor to deaths associated with antimicrobial resistance.<\/li>\n\n\n\n<li><strong>Treatment: <\/strong>It is preventable and curable with antibiotics.\n<ul class=\"wp-block-list\">\n<li><strong>TB Vaccine:<\/strong> The<strong> Bacillus Calmette-Gu\u00e9rin (BCG) vaccine<\/strong> remains the only licensed vaccine against TB; it provides moderate protection against <strong>severe forms of TB (TB Meningitis)<\/strong> in infants and young children.<\/li>\n<\/ul>\n<\/li>\n<\/ul>\n\n\n\n<h2 class=\"wp-block-heading\"><strong>Burden of TB in India<\/strong><\/h2>\n\n\n\n<ul class=\"wp-block-list\">\n<li>According to the <strong>WHO&#8217;s Global Tuberculosis Report 2024,<\/strong> India continues to <strong>lead the global TB burden,<\/strong> accounting for <strong>26% of all TB cases and deaths, <\/strong>and remains a <strong>hub for drug-resistant TB (DR-TB).<\/strong><\/li>\n\n\n\n<li>India is followed by Indonesia (10%), China (6.8%), the Philippines (6.8%), and Pakistan (6.3%).<\/li>\n\n\n\n<li><strong>Multidrug-Resistant TB:<\/strong> India represents<strong> 27% of the world\u2019s<\/strong> multi-drug-resistant TB cases.<\/li>\n<\/ul>\n\n\n\n<h2 class=\"wp-block-heading\"><strong>&#8216;EndTB&#8217; Strategy of WHO<\/strong><\/h2>\n\n\n\n<ul class=\"wp-block-list\">\n<li>It aims for a <strong>90% reduction in TB deaths,<\/strong> an <strong>80% reduction in new cases<\/strong>, and <strong>zero TB-affected families<\/strong> facing catastrophic costs<strong> by 2030.<\/strong><\/li>\n<\/ul>\n\n\n<div class=\"wp-block-image\">\n<figure class=\"aligncenter size-large is-resized\"><img data-dominant-color=\"dce7eb\" data-has-transparency=\"false\" loading=\"lazy\" decoding=\"async\" width=\"1024\" height=\"345\" src=\"https:\/\/wp-images.nextias.com\/cdn-cgi\/image\/format=auto\/ca\/uploads\/2025\/01\/Indias-Winding-Road-To-EndTB-1024x345.webp\" alt=\"Indias-Winding-Road-To-EndTB\" class=\"not-transparent wp-image-36193\" style=\"--dominant-color: #dce7eb; width:602px;height:auto\" srcset=\"https:\/\/wp-images.nextias.com\/cdn-cgi\/image\/format=auto\/ca\/uploads\/2025\/01\/Indias-Winding-Road-To-EndTB-1024x345.webp 1024w, https:\/\/wp-images.nextias.com\/cdn-cgi\/image\/format=auto\/ca\/uploads\/2025\/01\/Indias-Winding-Road-To-EndTB-300x101.webp 300w, https:\/\/wp-images.nextias.com\/cdn-cgi\/image\/format=auto\/ca\/uploads\/2025\/01\/Indias-Winding-Road-To-EndTB-768x259.webp 768w, https:\/\/wp-images.nextias.com\/cdn-cgi\/image\/format=auto\/ca\/uploads\/2025\/01\/Indias-Winding-Road-To-EndTB.webp 1056w\" sizes=\"auto, (max-width: 1024px) 100vw, 1024px\" \/><\/figure>\n<\/div>\n\n\n<ul class=\"wp-block-list\">\n<li>The <strong>United Nations SDGs <\/strong>include ending the TB epidemic by 2030 under<strong> Goal 3.<\/strong>\n<ul class=\"wp-block-list\">\n<li><strong>SDG Target 3.3: <\/strong>It aims to<em> \u2018End the epidemics of AIDS, tuberculosis, malaria, and neglected tropical diseases, and combat hepatitis, water-borne diseases, and other communicable diseases by 2030\u2019.<\/em><\/li>\n<\/ul>\n<\/li>\n<\/ul>\n\n\n\n<h2 class=\"wp-block-heading\"><strong>India\u2019s Specific Targets and Performance<\/strong><\/h2>\n\n\n<div class=\"wp-block-image\">\n<figure class=\"aligncenter size-full\"><img data-dominant-color=\"dfdad9\" data-has-transparency=\"false\" style=\"--dominant-color: #dfdad9;\" loading=\"lazy\" decoding=\"async\" width=\"316\" height=\"187\" src=\"https:\/\/wp-images.nextias.com\/cdn-cgi\/image\/format=auto\/ca\/uploads\/2025\/01\/india-tuberculosos-report.webp\" alt=\"india-tuberculosos-report\" class=\"not-transparent wp-image-36194\" srcset=\"https:\/\/wp-images.nextias.com\/cdn-cgi\/image\/format=auto\/ca\/uploads\/2025\/01\/india-tuberculosos-report.webp 316w, https:\/\/wp-images.nextias.com\/cdn-cgi\/image\/format=auto\/ca\/uploads\/2025\/01\/india-tuberculosos-report-300x178.webp 300w\" sizes=\"auto, (max-width: 316px) 100vw, 316px\" \/><\/figure>\n<\/div>\n\n\n<ul class=\"wp-block-list\">\n<li>India pledged to achieve these targets on <strong>an accelerated timeline by 2025<\/strong>, but the COVID-19 pandemic significantly hampered these efforts.<\/li>\n\n\n\n<li>There has been <strong>a decline of only 18% in TB cases<\/strong> between 2015 and 2023 as against the target of 50% by 2025.\n<ul class=\"wp-block-list\">\n<li>TB deaths have declined by 24% as against a target of 75% by 2025.<\/li>\n<\/ul>\n<\/li>\n<\/ul>\n\n\n\n<h2 class=\"wp-block-heading\"><strong>Towards a TB-Free India<\/strong><\/h2>\n\n\n\n<ul class=\"wp-block-list\">\n<li><strong>National Tuberculosis Elimination Programme (NTEP):<\/strong> It has been at the forefront of an ambitious goal <strong>to achieve WHO Targets by the end of 2025<\/strong>, but the COVID-19 pandemic significantly hampered these efforts.\n<ul class=\"wp-block-list\">\n<li>It has been implementing the <strong>National Strategic Plan (NSP) for TB Elimination (2017\u20132025).<\/strong><\/li>\n<\/ul>\n<\/li>\n\n\n\n<li><strong>Key Achievements of NTEP:<\/strong>\n<ul class=\"wp-block-list\">\n<li><strong>Decline in TB Incidence:<\/strong> India has achieved a noteworthy<strong> 17.7% decline in TB incidence from 2015 to 2023<\/strong>, surpassing the global average decline of 8.3%.<\/li>\n\n\n\n<li><strong>Expanded Diagnostic Reach:<\/strong> In 2023, India conducted approximately 1.89 crore <strong>sputum smear tests<\/strong> and 68.3 lakh <strong>nucleic acid amplification tests,<\/strong> reflecting the programme&#8217;s commitment to expanding access to early diagnosis.<\/li>\n\n\n\n<li><strong>Shorter Treatment Regimens:<\/strong> The introduction of new, shorter regimens for drug-resistant TB (DR-TB) has improved treatment adherence and reduced the burden of prolonged therapy.<\/li>\n<\/ul>\n<\/li>\n\n\n\n<li><strong>Revised National Tuberculosis Control Program (RNTCP)<\/strong><\/li>\n\n\n\n<li><strong>Pradhan Mantri TB Mukt Bharat Abhiyan (PMTBMBA):<\/strong> To provide people with TB with additional nutritional, diagnostic and vocational support.<\/li>\n\n\n\n<li><strong>Ni-kshay Portal:<\/strong> It has been set up to track the notified TB cases.\n<ul class=\"wp-block-list\">\n<li><strong>Direct Benefit Transfer (DBT)<\/strong> under the <strong>Ni-kshay Poshan Yojana<\/strong> provides financial support for TB patients by disbursing nearly Rs. 2,781 crores to around 1 crore beneficiaries.<\/li>\n\n\n\n<li>Notably, <strong>over 1.5 lakh Ni-kshay Mitras <\/strong>have committed to supporting individuals affected by TB.<\/li>\n\n\n\n<li><strong>Ni-kshay SAATHI<\/strong> (Family caregiver model) to further enhance patient support systems.<\/li>\n<\/ul>\n<\/li>\n\n\n\n<li><strong>Universal Drug Susceptibility Testing (DST):<\/strong> To identify drug-resistant strains of TB early and tailor treatment accordingly.<\/li>\n\n\n\n<li><strong>New Drugs:<\/strong> <strong>Bedaquiline and Delamanid<\/strong> for the treatment of drug-resistant TB have been included in the government\u2019s basket of drugs provided free TB patients.<\/li>\n<\/ul>\n\n\n\n<h2 class=\"wp-block-heading\"><strong>Challenges on the Ground<\/strong><\/h2>\n\n\n\n<ul class=\"wp-block-list\">\n<li><strong>Undernutrition and Comorbidities:<\/strong> High-risk groups, such as individuals exposed to factors like <em>silicosis, undernutrition, overcrowding,<\/em> and comorbidities like diabetes, alcohol use disorders and smoking are particularly vulnerable to TB.<\/li>\n\n\n\n<li><strong>Migrant Workers: <\/strong>They face additional challenges due to poor access to healthcare and difficulty continuing treatment when moving back to their native places.<\/li>\n\n\n\n<li><strong>Supply Chain Disruptions:<\/strong> A country-wide break in the supply chain in 2023 led to shortages of key drugs, disrupting treatment and risking antibiotic resistance.<\/li>\n\n\n\n<li><strong>Diagnostic Delays:<\/strong> Despite efforts to expand diagnostic capabilities, delays in diagnosis remain a significant challenge.\n<ul class=\"wp-block-list\">\n<li>While the <strong>NTEP&#8217;s main focus has been on pulmonary TB<\/strong>, <strong>Extrapulmonary TB (EP-TB)<\/strong>, which <strong>affects organs other than the lungs<\/strong>, accounts for <strong>about 24% of notified cases<\/strong>.<\/li>\n\n\n\n<li>EP-TB is <strong>often missed or diagnosed late<\/strong> due to vague symptoms resembling other diseases.<\/li>\n<\/ul>\n<\/li>\n<\/ul>\n\n\n\n<h2 class=\"wp-block-heading\"><strong>Way Forward<\/strong><\/h2>\n\n\n\n<ul class=\"wp-block-list\">\n<li><strong>Multisectoral Approach:<\/strong> Tackling TB requires a multisectoral approach, addressing not only undernutrition but also other contributory factors in each geography.<\/li>\n\n\n\n<li><strong>Community Engagement: <\/strong>Successful interventions have shown the importance of community participation and advocacy in achieving TB targets.\n<ul class=\"wp-block-list\">\n<li>Successful interventions, such as the collaboration with <strong>Kudumbashree,<\/strong> a <strong>women&#8217;s self-help network in Kerala,<\/strong> have shown the importance of community participation and advocacy in achieving TB targets.<\/li>\n<\/ul>\n<\/li>\n\n\n\n<li><strong>Continued Political Commitment:<\/strong> The strong political commitment shown by the Government of India, including the reaffirmation of the \u2018End TB by 2025\u2019 goal, is crucial for sustained progress.<\/li>\n<\/ul>\n\n\n\n<h2 class=\"wp-block-heading\"><strong>Conclusion<\/strong><\/h2>\n\n\n\n<ul class=\"wp-block-list\">\n<li>India&#8217;s journey to &#8216;EndTB&#8217; is a testament to the country&#8217;s commitment to tackling one of the world&#8217;s most pressing health challenges.&nbsp;<\/li>\n\n\n\n<li>While the path is fraught with obstacles, continued efforts, multisectoral action, and community engagement are crucial to achieving the ambitious targets set by the WHO.<\/li>\n<\/ul>\n\n\n\n<figure class=\"wp-block-table\"><table class=\"has-background\" style=\"background-color:#fff2cc\"><tbody><tr><td><strong>Daily Mains Practice Question<\/strong><br><strong>[Q]<\/strong> Discuss the challenges and successes of India&#8217;s efforts to comba t tuberculosis, analyzing the impact of social determinants of health, government policies, and community involvement on the country&#8217;s progress towards the &#8216;EndTB&#8217; goal.<\/td><\/tr><\/tbody><\/table><\/figure>\n\n\n\n<p><a href=\"https:\/\/www.thehindu.com\/opinion\/lead\/indias-winding-road-to-endtb\/article69133029.ece\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noopener\">Source: TH<\/a><\/p>\n\n\n\n<div class=\"wp-block-buttons is-layout-flex wp-block-buttons-is-layout-flex\">\n<div class=\"wp-block-button\"><a class=\"wp-block-button__link wp-element-button\" href=\"https:\/\/www.nextias.com\/ca\/wp-content\/uploads\/2025\/01\/UPSC-Editorial-Analysis-25-January-2025-PDF.pdf\">Download PDF<\/a><\/div>\n<\/div>\n","protected":false},"excerpt":{"rendered":"<p>India&#8217;s journey towards eliminating tuberculosis (TB) by 2025, under the ambitious &#8216;EndTB&#8217; campaign, has been fraught with challenges and complexities.\u00a0<\/p>\n","protected":false},"author":15,"featured_media":0,"comment_status":"closed","ping_status":"open","sticky":false,"template":"","format":"standard","meta":{"_acf_changed":false,"footnotes":""},"categories":[22],"tags":[],"class_list":["post-36192","post","type-post","status-publish","format-standard","hentry","category-editorial-analysis"],"acf":[],"jetpack_featured_media_url":"","_links":{"self":[{"href":"https:\/\/www.nextias.com\/ca\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts\/36192","targetHints":{"allow":["GET"]}}],"collection":[{"href":"https:\/\/www.nextias.com\/ca\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts"}],"about":[{"href":"https:\/\/www.nextias.com\/ca\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/types\/post"}],"author":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.nextias.com\/ca\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/users\/15"}],"replies":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.nextias.com\/ca\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/comments?post=36192"}],"version-history":[{"count":3,"href":"https:\/\/www.nextias.com\/ca\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts\/36192\/revisions"}],"predecessor-version":[{"id":36217,"href":"https:\/\/www.nextias.com\/ca\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts\/36192\/revisions\/36217"}],"wp:attachment":[{"href":"https:\/\/www.nextias.com\/ca\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/media?parent=36192"}],"wp:term":[{"taxonomy":"category","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.nextias.com\/ca\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/categories?post=36192"},{"taxonomy":"post_tag","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.nextias.com\/ca\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/tags?post=36192"}],"curies":[{"name":"wp","href":"https:\/\/api.w.org\/{rel}","templated":true}]}}