India TB Report 2019

News:Government has released the India Tuberculosis(TB) Report 2019.

Facts:

Highlights of the report:

• The report has found that there was a 16% increase in the number of TB cases in 2018 as compared to the previous year. 
• India accounted for a quarter of the Global TB burden with an estimated 27 lakh new cases in 2018.
• The majority of the Tuberculosis affected individuals (89%) were in the age group 15-69.
• Uttar Pradesh accounted for 20% of all notifications of TB cases(187 cases/lakh population).
• Odisha witnessed a decline in the number of notified cases from TB.The Union Territories of Lakshadweep and Andaman & Nicobar Islands too witnessed a drop.
• The two UTs of Delhi and Chandigarh had the highest number of notified patients per lakh population at 417 and 468 respectively.The rates were higher because people from many other parts of India get notified from these UTs.

Additional information:

About Tuberculosis:

• Tuberculosis(TB) is an infectious airborne bacterial disease caused by Mycobacterium tuberculosis.It most commonly affects the lungs but can also damage other parts of the body.
• In 2017,the government of India has launched National Strategic Plan (NSP) for TB Elimination (2017-2025).It aims to work towards the elimination of TB in India by 2025.This would be 5 years ahead of the Sustainable Development Targets (SDG 3.3) which sets the goal to 2030.