A Review of Tuberculosis in India: Current Treatment Approaches and Policy

Abstract

India, which has the largest TB burden in the world nearly 27% of all cases, continues to face a significant public health challenge. Despite being a preventable and curable disease, TB persists in socioeconomically vulnerable groups because of a number of factors, including concurrent medical problems like HIV and diabetes, treatment non-adherence, delayed diagnosis, and stigma.  By 2025, five years ahead of schedule, the Indian government, through the National Tuberculosis Elimination Programme (NTEP), has enacted comprehensive plans to eradicate tuberculosis.  Public-private sector involvement, the implementation of more recent treatment plans for drug-sensitive and drug-resistant tuberculosis, direct benefit transfers for nutritional support, and increased access to molecular diagnostics are a few of these. However, there are a number of challenges that provide serious difficulties, including underreporting, the rise in multidrug-resistant TB, and disjointed healthcare delivery systems.  This overview outlines the epidemiology of tuberculosis in India, talks about current treatment practices and advancements, examines important government initiatives and regulatory frameworks, and shows the crucial issues that need to be resolved in order to achieve the challenging objective of eradication.  To achieve a TB-free future, India must take a coordinated, equity-focused, and patient-centered strategy.