Question : National Tuberculosis Elimination Programme

(a) whether achievements have been made in reduction of Tuberculosis incidence and death rate in line with the target to eliminate TB by 2025, if so, the details thereof;

(b) whether the Government has taken into cognizance that dealing with COVID-19 pandemic is likely to hinder achievement of above goal, if so, the details thereof;

(c) whether the number of TB notifications have decreased since the beginning of the pandemic in India, if so, the details thereof, State/ UT- wise

(d) whether the Government has strategized to reduce morbidity and mortality rates of TB infected pregnant women amidst the crisis of COVID-19; and

(e) if so, the details thereof?

THE MINISTER OF HEALTH AND FAMILY WELFARE
(DR. BHARATI PRAVIN PAWAR)

(a) to (e) The Ministry of Health and Family Welfare is implementing a National Strategic Plan for Ending TB by 2025. As per the Global TB Report, 2021, the country has reduced the incidence of TB from 217/lakh population in 2015 to 188/lakh population in 2020 (a 13% decline). The death rate has declined from 36/lakh population in 2015 to 33/lakh population in 2019.

During the COVID pandemic, proactive initiatives were taken to provide uninterrupted diagnostic and treatment services. Special outreach activities were also undertaken to identify presumptive TB cases.
During the year 2020 (Jan - Dec), a total of 18.12 lakh TB cases were notified under the programme which was 25% less than the total cases notified in 2019 (which was 24.00 lakhs). In 2021, in spite of a larger wave of COVID-19, the programme has been able to notify 17.6 lakh TB cases (till Oct,2021), which is 18% higher compared to 2020.
To mitigate the impact of COVID and to ensure that all TB patients including pregnant women have uninterrupted access to drugs and diagnostics, the Ministry has taken several steps including:
i. Active TB case finding campaign in key vulnerable and co-morbid population
ii. Integration with Ayushman Bharat- Health & Wellness Centres to decentralize screening and treatment services closer to the community
iii. Provision of free TB drugs of extended duration and door-step delivery during COVID times
iv. Implementation of bi-directional TB-COVID screening and TB screening / testing for all presumptive cases with influenza like illness (ILI) and Severe Acute Respiratory Infections (SARI)
v. Scale up of molecular diagnostic laboratories to sub-district levels
vi. Sample collection and transportation system from Sub Centre to PHC, PHC to CHC and from CHC to District / State level laboratories
vii. Intensified IEC campaigns to raise community awareness

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