World TB Day 2023

What’s in today’s article?

• Why in news?
• What is One World TB Summit?
• What is Tuberculosis?
• How many TB cases are detected each year in India?
• What is India’s TB elimination target?
• What steps are being taken to achieve this target?
• What are the improvements in treatment protocols?

 

Why in news?

• Each year, the World TB Day is celebrated on March 24. This year’s theme is ‘Yes! We can end TB!’.
• This year, on World TB Day, Prime Minister Narendra Modi is scheduled to address the One World TB Summit.

 

What is One World TB Summit?

• One World TB Summit is being organised on World Tuberculosis Day at Rudrakash Convention Centre in Varanasi.
• It is being organised by the Ministry of Health and Family Welfare (MoHFW) and the Stop TB Partnership.
  • Founded in 2001, the Stop TB Partnership is a United Nations-hosted organisation that amplifies the voices of the people, communities, and countries affected by TB.

 

What is Tuberculosis?

• TB is a bacterial infection spread through inhaling tiny droplets from the coughs or sneezes of an infected person.
  • Mycobacterium tuberculosis bacteria is responsible for TB.
• It mainly affects the lungs, but it can affect any part of the body, including the tummy (abdomen), glands, bones and nervous system.
• TB is a potentially serious condition, but it can be cured if it's treated with the right antibiotics.

 

How many TB cases are detected each year in India?

• India accounts for 28% of all TB cases in the world, according to the Global TB Report 2022. 
• There were 21.3 lakh cases detected in 2021 as compared to 18.05 lakh cases in 2020.
• India continues to be the largest contributor to global TB cases. However, there has been a decline in the number of cases in 2021.

 

What is India’s TB elimination target?

• Although elimination of Tuberculosis is one of the sustainable development targets to be achieved by 2030 by the world, India has set the target of 2025.
• The national strategic plan 2017-2025 sets the target of India reporting no more than 44 new TB cases or 65 total cases per lakh population by 2025.
  • The programme aims to reduce the mortality to 3 deaths per lakh population by 2025. 
    • The estimated TB mortality for the year 2020 stood at 37 per lakh population.
  • The plan also aims to reduce catastrophic costs for the affected family to zero.
• The goals are in line with the World Health Organisation’s End TB strategy that calls for 80% reduction in the number of new cases, 90% reduction in mortality, and zero catastrophic cost by 2030.

 

What steps are being taken to achieve this target?

• To achieve the TB elimination target of 2025, the government has taken several steps including: 
  • looking for cases actively among vulnerable and co-morbid populations, 
  • screening for it at the health and wellness centres, and 
  • calling on the private sector to notify all TB cases.
• An online Ni-kshay portal has been set up to track the notified TB cases.
• The pandemic has led to improved access to the more accurate molecular diagnostic tests like CB-NAAT and TureNat.
  • At present, there are 4,760 molecular diagnostic machines available, covering all districts of the country.
• The government has also implemented a universal drug susceptibility test. 
  • It means that antibiotic susceptibility of the mycobacterium is determined for all newly diagnosed cases. 
  • Earlier, the patients were started on first line treatment and were tested for drug resistance only if the therapy did not work.
• The government also launched the community engagement programme where Ni-kshay mitras can adopt TB patients and provide them monthly nutritional support.
  • So far, 71,460 Ni-kshay Mitras have adopted about 10 lakh TB patients under the programme.

 

What are the improvements in treatment protocols?

• Newer drugs such as Bedaquiline and Delamanid for the treatment of drug-resistant TB have been included in the government’s basket of drugs provided free to TB patients.
• These new drugs have also been included in the new National List of Essential Medicines that gives the government power to regulate their market price as well.
• Researchers have also been studying shorter three- and four-month courses of anti-tubercular drugs, instead of the existing six-month therapy.
  • Anti-tubercular drugs have to be taken for six months to over two years depending on the susceptibility of the mycobacterium. 
  • Long duration of treatment results in people dropping out in between, increasing their likelihood of them developing drug-resistant infections later.

 

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Q1) What are Ni-kshay Mitras?

Ni-kshay Mitras is a term used in the context of tuberculosis (TB) control in India. The term "Ni-kshay" means "end TB" in Hindi, and "Mitras" means "friends." Ni-kshay Mitras are community volunteers who are trained to support TB patients throughout their treatment journey and help them complete the full course of treatment.

 

Q2) Which vaccine is used for the prevention against TB?

The Bacille Calmette-Guérin (BCG) vaccine is the only vaccine currently available for the prevention of tuberculosis (TB). The BCG vaccine is made from a weakened strain of Mycobacterium bovis, a bacterium that causes TB in cattle. When given to humans, the vaccine stimulates the immune system to produce a response that can protect against TB.

 

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Source: World TB Day 2023: How India plans to achieve its target of eliminating tuberculosis by 2025 | World Health Organisation | The Print