States with highest TB notifications India 2020

In 2020, Uttar Pradesh had the highest share of tuberculosis notifications in India with over 20 percent. Maharashtra and Madhya Pradesh followed with relatively lower notification rates with eight and seven percent, respectively.

TB Prevention

Of all communicable diseases, tuberculosis is the most serious public health concern in India. The lynchpin of TB prevention and control strategies include early diagnosis and effective and complete treatment of TB. While universal immunization programs including coverage of the BCG vaccine has showed promising results since 1985, medical communities have postulated that despite vaccination, complete prevention of natural tuberculosis of the lungs along with its local complications is challenging.

Diagnostic services

According to the national strategic plan initiated by the government of India in 2017, the use of highly sophisticated and sensitive diagnostic testing at first point of care (public or private) for prompt and effective diagnosis has been advocated. To implement this, the TB laboratory networks across the country have significantly advanced and expanded to assure qualitative testing. Laboratory services at public health units are provided to patients free of cost including those referred from the private sector.