Global Fund Grant in India

Tuberculosis

India has the highest TB burden in the world and accounts for a fifth of the world’s new TB cases and two-thirds of the cases in South-East Asia. Each year about 1.8 million people in India develop TB, of which 0.8 million are infectious cases. It is estimated that annually around 330,000 Indians die due to TB. The Revised National TB Control Programme (RNTCP) using Directly Observed Treatment Short-course (DOTS) strategy is being implemented with the objective of covering at least 85 per cent of new sputum positive patients to be put on treatment and detection of atleast 70 per cent of such patients.

According to the RNTCP Status Report 2007, more than 6.7 million patients have been put on Directly Observed Treatment – Short Course (DOTS). It has geographically expanded to achieve nation-wide coverage in March 2006, while maintaining a success rate higher than the global target of 85%, and New Smear Positive case detection rate close to the global benchmark of 70%.