Tuberculosis (TB) is a contagious bacterial infection caused by Mycobacterium tuberculosis, primarily affecting the lungs but capable of spreading to other organs. It spreads through the air when a person with active pulmonary TB coughs, sneezes, or talks, releasing droplets that may be inhaled by others. The first-line treatment for TB includes Isoniazid, Rifampicin, Ethambutol, and Pyrazinamide. This regimen is called Directly Observed Therapy (DOTS).

In India, the Hon'ble Prime Minister has set a target to eliminate TB from the country by 2025 under the Sustainable Development Goals. The Union Ministry of Health & Family Welfare has introduced a new regimen, BPaLM, for multidrug-resistant tuberculosis (MDR-TB). This novel treatment, launched under the National TB Elimination Program, is new to the market and is said to be highly effective with a shorter treatment duration. The regimen includes Pretomanid in combination with Bedaquiline and Linezolid (with or without Moxifloxacin).

The BPaLM regimen has proven to be safer, more effective, and quicker than other treatments for MDR-TB. While MDR-TB treatment can last up to 20 months with severe side effects, BPaLM can cure drug-resistant TB in less than six months, with a higher success rate. India’s 75,000 drug-resistant TB patients will now benefit from this shorter regimen. Additionally, there will be overall cost savings.

Both the Department of Health & Family Welfare and the Department of Health Research have validated this new TB treatment, with reviews from various experts across the country. The Department of Health & Family Welfare has also conducted a Health Technology Assessment through the Department of Health Research to ensure that this MDR-TB treatment is safe and cost-effective.

The National Tuberculosis Elimination Programme (NTEP), previously known as the Revised National Tuberculosis Control Programme (RNTCP), is India's key initiative to eradicate tuberculosis (TB) by 2025, five years ahead of the global Sustainable Development Goals. Prime Minister Narendra Modi announced this target at the 2018 Delhi End TB Summit, and in 2020, the program was renamed NTEP to reflect this goal. The program reaches over a billion people across 632 districts in India.

The National Strategic Plan for TB Elimination employs a multi-faceted approach to detect and treat TB cases, especially among high-risk populations and private healthcare seekers. A cornerstone of the plan is Universal Drug Susceptibility Testing (UDST), ensuring that every diagnosed patient undergoes drug resistance testing before or at the start of treatment, helping to control multidrug-resistant TB (MDR-TB).

On September 9, 2022, President Smt. Droupadi Murmu launched the Pradhan Mantri TB Mukt Bharat Abhiyaan (PMTBMBA), urging collective efforts to eradicate TB through Jan Bhaagidari (people’s participation). She also introduced the Ni-kshay Mitra initiative, encouraging individuals, corporates, NGOs, and elected representatives to provide diagnostic, nutritional, and vocational support to TB patients. This initiative aims to improve treatment outcomes and patient recovery.

The Ni-kshay 2.0 portal was also launched to facilitate community support, allowing donors to contribute through Corporate Social Responsibility (CSR) initiatives. India’s TB laboratory network, the largest in the world, includes over 7,700 rapid molecular testing centers and 87 culture and drug susceptibility testing labs. This extensive infrastructure enables timely detection of MDR-TB and quick initiation of treatment, supporting the nation’s mission to end TB by 2025.