New Delhi, March 26 (IANS) Even as India aims to eliminate tuberculosis (TB) — the world’s deadliest infection — this year, Prime Minister Narendra Modi on Wednesday complimented people striving to ‘strengthen the fight against TB’ in the country.

“I compliment all those who are strengthening the fight against TB and contributing to a #TBMuktBharat,” the Prime Minister said in a post on social media platform X.

“It is noteworthy how this effort is gaining momentum at the grassroots level, thus ensuring a healthier India,” he added.

PM Modi said this while sharing Union Health Minister JP Nadda’s comments on the progress made by India in the fight against TB with the help of local and community initiatives and making it a Jan Andolan (mass movement).

India aims to End TB by 2025, five years ahead of the global target. To accelerate the Health Ministry in December last year launched a 100-day intensified TB Mukt Bharat Abhiyaan that concluded on World TB Day on March 24.

The campaign targetted selected 455 high-priority districts across 33 States/UTs to accelerate TB case detection, reduce mortality, and prevent new cases.

“With more than 1.94 lakh awareness activities, the Jan Andolan also led to the active involvement of over 33,000 elected representatives and 22-line ministries exhibiting a whole-of-society and whole-of-government approach to TB elimination,” Nadda said on X.

He added that the campaign “mobilised the community for effective nutritional support through 1.05 lakh new Nikshay Mitras distributing more than 3 lakh nutrition food baskets”.

In addition, more than 13.46 lakh Nikshay Shivirs were held across states where 12.97 crore vulnerable people were screened for TB.

“This targeted approach resulted in the identification of 7.19 lakh TB cases. And 2.85 lakh asymptomatic TB cases were identified early who would have otherwise gone undetected,” the Health Minister said.

Tuberculosis is an infectious disease caused by bacteria that most often affects the lungs. It spreads through the air when a person with TB coughs, sneezes, or spits. TB is preventable and curable.

According to the WHO Global TB Report 2024, India has witnessed a noteworthy 17.7 per cent decline in TB incidence from 2015 to 2023 — a rate that is over twice the global average decline of 8.3 per cent.

TB deaths have also reduced by 21.4 per cent from 28 per lakh population in 2015 to 22 per lakh population in 2023,” as per the data.

However, India reported 28 lakh TB cases, accounting for 26 per cent — the highest — global TB burden in 2024.

The country also reported an estimated 3.15 lakh TB-related deaths, accounting for 29 per cent of the deaths globally.

–IANS

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