India’s new system for TB assessment offers better district-level data for intervention

India has introduced its own mathematical model to estimate the burden of tuberculosis (TB) in the country and has opted out of the World Health Organization’s (WHO) estimates. The model, developed by the Indian Council of Medical Research (ICMR), will assist health officials in the country to target interventions better and allocate resources more efficiently in the fight against TB.

India accounts for over one-fourth of the global TB burden, and the country has set ambitious targets to eliminate the disease by 2025, five years ahead of the global target set by the WHO. The new model provides more granular data, allowing policymakers to plan interventions based on the disease’s prevalence at the district level. The Health Ministry noted that as per data, the global TB reduction numbers stand at 11% while the reduction in TB cases in India is 18%.

The decision to opt out of WHO estimates has been taken to ensure that India’s efforts to eradicate TB are in line with the country’s priorities and objectives. India’s health ministry has assured that it will continue to collaborate with the WHO and share data with them to ensure that global estimates remain accurate. The Ministry added that India’s TB incidence rate stands at 196 per 1,00,000 population, instead of the 210 estimated by the WHO, and the estimated deaths from the communicable disease stand at 3.20 lakh, instead of the 4.94 lacks that was projected in 2021.

India’s decision to introduce its own TB burden estimation model demonstrates the country’s dedication to combating the disease and achieving its ambitious goal of eradicating TB by 2025. The model’s granular data will help policymakers and health officials allocate resources more effectively and implement targeted interventions to reduce the disease’s prevalence at the district level.

Staff Reporter