New Delhi, Nov 18 () – The World Health Organization (WHO) praised India on Tuesday for making brisk progress in fighting tuberculosis (TB). The country’s TB rates have dropped faster than the global average, cutting both new cases and deaths over the last decade.
WHO’s 2025 Global Tuberculosis Report shows India’s TB incidence fell 21 % – from 237 cases per 100,000 in 2015 to 187 in 2024. The decline is almost double the worldwide drop of 12 %. Mortality also slipped, with TB deaths falling from 28 to 21 per 100,000 over the same period.
The country’s flagship program, the Mukt Bharat Abhiyan, launched in December 2024, has screened more than 19 million people at risk. It identified over 2.45 million TB patients, including 861 000 who showed no symptoms. These efforts have widened detection and helped bring more cases under treatment.
Globally, 10.7 million people were diagnosed with TB in 2024, and 1.23 million died from the disease. India remains the largest single country by TB burden, with an estimated 2.71 million people living with the disease. Bangladesh, Myanmar, Thailand, and Nepal follow at 384 000, 263 000, 104 000, and 67 000, respectively.
WHO’s report notes that “several countries, including Bangladesh, India, and Thailand, have closed gaps in detection.” TB‑related deaths have also gone down in Bangladesh, Bhutan, India, Nepal, and Thailand, thanks to a rebound of essential services after COVID‑19 pulled the emergency net.
However, the WHO cautions that the pace of decline in South‑East Asia still falls short of the 2025 End TB targets. The region, which houses less than a quarter of the world’s population, accounts for more than one‑third of all new TB cases. The 2024 incidence rate in the region – 201 per 100,000 – remains above the global average of 131.
Drug‑resistant TB is a growing threat. WHO estimates that 150 000 people developed resistant TB in 2024. While some countries in the region have seen a 16 % fall in incidence since 2015, deaths are not falling quickly enough, and the region’s overall rates are still high.
“We know what works – early detection, rapid treatment, prevention, and strong primary care,” said Dr Catharina Boehme, WHO South‑East Asia officer. “What we need now is speed, scale, and sustained political and financial commitment.”
TB burden varies across the region. Myanmar and Timor‑Leste still report the highest rates, at roughly 480‑500 cases per 100,000. Bangladesh, Bhutan, India, Nepal, and Thailand sit between 146‑269 per 100,000, showing steady but slow declines. Sri Lanka and the Maldives remain lower‑incidence settings, with 50‑99 and 10‑49 per 100,000, respectively.
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