India accounts for one-fifth or 21 per cent of the worlds tuberculosis cases. According to a new report,the global annual TB incidence estimate is 9.4 million cases,out of which 2 million are from India. The country stands 17th among the 22 high burden countries in terms of TB incidence rate,says the report. However,the prevalence of TB in the country has reduced from 568 per 1,00,000 population in 1990 to 249 per 1,00,000 population by 2010. Nearly five years after the Revised National TB Control Programme (RNTCP),based on internationally recommended Directly Observed Treatment Short-course (DOTS) strategy,covered the entire country,India has now achieved its target in terms of case detection and successful treatment. According to the World Health Organisation,70 per cent of the cases should be detected and brought under treatment. India,in fact,has achieved more than 70 per cent in case detection and exceeded the target rate of successful treatment, said an official in the Union Health Ministry. The aim,according to Dr Ashok Kumar,the Deputy Director General of the central TB division,is to focus on completing the course of medication that goes on for six months. Citing non-completion of treatment as one of the major reasons for developing multi-drug resistant TB,Kumar said the government plans to establish 43 labs. To make sure that people do not leave the treatment mid-way,a new logo,poora course pakka ilaj has also been designed.
