Centre to procure 1,500 more handheld X-rays to upscale fight against TB

To further strengthen the fight against tuberculosis, the Union Health Ministry will soon procure 1,500 more handheld X-ray machines to facilitate large-scale screening and early detection of cases, official sources said.
Around 500 such portable X-ray machines are already deployed at screening centres across the country.
As part of the government’s efforts to eliminate the disease, over 46,000 gram panchayats have been declared ‘TB Mukt’ across the country. Maharashtra and Uttar Pradesh lead the tally with the maximum number of panchayats declared TB-free.
“Uttarakhand outshines among geographically smaller states with remarkable reduction in TB incidence rates,” an official source said. This involves achieving specific criteria, including high sputum sample collection rates, low TB incidence, high treatment success rates, and robust nutritional support for patients.
The TB Mukt Bharat Abhiyaan was started with 347 districts and has been expanded to all districts.
India’s goal to eliminate TB by 2025 is one of the world’s most ambitious health missions.
Under the National Tuberculosis Elimination Programme (NTEP), India has strengthened its TB response with advanced diagnostics, innovative policies, private sector partnerships, and a patient-first approach.
Key drivers include record-high case reporting, better diagnostics, financial support for patients, and strong multi-sector collaboration.
The TB elimination campaign aims to eradicate the disease through timely detection and providing comprehensive treatment to patients. The Centre provides free treatment, examination, and medicines under this program.
Despite global efforts, TB remains a major public health challenge worldwide, with India bearing the highest burden. Understanding both the global and national estimates is key to gauging the scale of the disease and the urgency of India’s elimination mission.
To tackle this burden, the government has implemented a range of focused strategies under NTEP. These key initiatives under NTEP aim to strengthen diagnosis, treatment, and prevention efforts, accelerating progress toward a TB-free India.
The NTEP programme recorded its highest-ever case notifications reporting 25.5 lakh TB cases in 2023 and 26.07 lakh cases in 2024, the health ministry said earlier. According to WHO’s Global TB Report, India has made significant progress in fighting tuberculosis.
Under NTEP, the incidence rate of TB cases have dropped by nearly 17.7 per cent from 237 cases per 1 lakh people in 2015 to 195 in 2023. TB-related deaths have also reduced, falling from 28 to 22 per 1 lakh people during the same period.
One of the key achievements has been reducing the number of missing TB cases from 15 lakh in 2015 to just 2.5 lakh in 2023 with a decrease of 83 per cent.