TB incidence down 23% since 2014: JP Nadda pushes for TB-free India by July 2026
Synopsis
India has cut TB incidence by nearly 23% since 2014, but Health Minister JP Nadda's review meeting signals the hardest stretch lies ahead — finding the cases that routine systems miss. With 28.1 crore screenings done and 5.7 lakh Nikshay Mitras enrolled, the 100-Day campaign's final push to July 2026 will determine whether India's TB-elimination target remains on track.
Key Takeaways
Union Health Minister J.P.
Nadda chaired a national review of the 100-Day TB Mukt Bharat Abhiyan on 19 June , with the second phase concluding in the first week of July 2026 .
India's TB incidence dropped to 187 cases per lakh in 2024, down from 243 per lakh in 2014 — a nearly 23% reduction .
TB mortality fell to 21 deaths per lakh in 2024 from 34 per lakh in 2014.
More than 28.1 crore people screened, 20 lakh given TB preventive treatment, and 5.7 lakh Nikshay Mitras added since December 2024.
Over 1.7 lakh Ayushman Arogya Shivirs held across 1.20 lakh high-risk villages, wards, and congregate settings in the second phase.
Approximately 32 lakh youths and 1.9 lakh My Bharat volunteers have participated in awareness and screening activities.
Union Health Minister J.P. Nadda on Friday, 19 June chaired a high-level review of the TB Mukt Bharat Abhiyan, urging states and Union Territories to intensify last-mile outreach as the second phase of the 100-Day Intensified TB Mukt Bharat Abhiyan heads toward its conclusion in the first week of July 2026. Nadda stressed that every missing tuberculosis case must be identified before the campaign closes, warning that no vulnerable individual should be left behind.
India's TB Progress: The Numbers
Addressing Health Ministers and senior officials across states and Union Territories via video conferencing, Nadda cited data showing that India's TB incidence has fallen to 187 cases per lakh population in 2024, down from 243 cases per lakh in 2014 — a reduction of nearly 23% over a decade. TB mortality has similarly declined, standing at 21 deaths per lakh in 2024 against 34 per lakh in 2014, according to an official statement.
Scale of the Intensified Campaign
Since the campaign's launch in December 2024, more than 28.1 crore people have been screened for tuberculosis. Over 20 lakh individuals have received TB preventive treatment, and 5.7 lakh new Nikshay Mitras — community supporters for TB patients — have been enrolled, reflecting the programme's grassroots reach.
The second phase alone has seen more than 1.7 lakh Ayushman Arogya Shivirs — health camps under the government's flagship insurance framework — conducted across 1.20 lakh high-risk villages, wards, and congregate settings, according to the official statement.
Unprecedented Community Participation
The campaign has drawn in approximately 32 lakh youths from schools and colleges and nearly 1.9 lakh My Bharat volunteers, who have actively supported awareness drives and screening activities. Nadda acknowledged the contributions of frontline health workers, development partners, and community stakeholders in sustaining this momentum.
What the Government Said
Reaffirming the Centre's commitment to eliminating tuberculosis, Nadda stated that the vision of a TB-Mukt Bharat — as envisaged by Prime Minister Narendra Modi — can only be realised through sustained collective action and whole-of-society participation. He underlined that the mission's true success would be achieved only when every state, Union Territory, and district in the country becomes TB-free.
With the campaign's second phase set to wrap up in early July 2026, the focus now shifts to closing identification gaps in the most hard-to-reach communities — the segment that historically accounts for the bulk of undetected cases.
Point of View
But a 23% incidence reduction over a decade — while significant — still leaves the country among the world's highest TB-burden nations. The 100-Day campaign's mass-screening logic is sound, but volume metrics like '28.1 crore screened' can obscure yield: how many of those screenings converted to confirmed diagnoses and completed treatment? The Nikshay Mitra model of community patronage is innovative, but its sustainability beyond campaign cycles has not been demonstrated. The real accountability test arrives after July 2026 — whether states maintain this intensity without a central campaign driving them.
NationPress
5 Aug 2026
Frequently Asked Questions
What is the 100-Day TB Mukt Bharat Abhiyan?
The 100-Day TB Mukt Bharat Abhiyan is an intensified national campaign launched in December 2024 to identify missing tuberculosis cases and accelerate India's push toward TB elimination. Its second phase is scheduled to conclude in the first week of July 2026, focusing on high-risk villages, wards, and congregate settings.
How much has India's TB incidence declined?
India's TB incidence has fallen to 187 cases per lakh population in 2024, down from 243 per lakh in 2014 — a reduction of nearly 23% over a decade, according to data cited by Health Minister JP Nadda at the review meeting.
What is a Nikshay Mitra?
A Nikshay Mitra is a community volunteer or supporter who provides nutritional, emotional, and financial assistance to TB patients under India's national TB elimination programme. Over 5.7 lakh new Nikshay Mitras have been enrolled since December 2024 under the intensified campaign.
Who is affected by the TB Mukt Bharat campaign?
The campaign primarily targets individuals in high-risk settings — rural villages, urban wards, and congregate environments such as prisons and hostels. More than 28.1 crore people have been screened so far, with 20 lakh receiving TB preventive treatment.
When will the second phase of the campaign end?
The second phase of the Intensified 100-Day TB Mukt Bharat Abhiyan is scheduled to conclude in the first week of July 2026, as confirmed by Health Minister JP Nadda during the high-level review meeting on 19 June.
