World Tuberculosis Day: India Sees Reduction In TB Cases Amid Global Rise; Kerala Tops List

March 24 of every year is commemorated as World Tuberculosis (TB) Day, with an aim to raise public awareness about the severe infectious bacterial disease, its devastating effects on health, and social and economic consequences. The day is also observed to celebrate the efforts of doctors, scientists, governments and other experts to end the global epidemic.

2022 Theme

This year's theme talks about investing to end the deadly infection and save lives - 'Invest to End TB. Save Lives.' the theme conveys the need to invest resources to ramp up the fight against TB by global leaders.

TB remains one of the world's deadliest infectious killers. According to the WHO report, more than 4100 people succumb to the disease, and nearly 28,000 people fall ill.

So far, the efforts in eliminating TB has saved an estimated 66 million lives since the year 2000. However, the COVID-19 pandemic reversed years of progress, as TB deaths increased in 2020 for the first time in a decade.

The Indian States, Districts With Fewer Cases

Despite reverse in progress globally, there are still many states and cities in India which have made a significant improvement in curbing the spread of the deadly disease.

Kerala: The state has emerged as the only one in the Silver category in the Union Health Ministry's Subnational Certification of Efforts Towards Elimination of TB.

According to The Hindu report, the state has reduced Tuberculosis cases by over 40 per cent in six years (between 2015-2021). Last year, Kerala had bagged the Bronze category for reducing TB incidence by 37.5 per cent between 2015 and 2020.

Besides, all the districts, except Kozhikode, has been placed in either Gold, Silver or Bronze category.

Among them, Malappuram and Wayanad made it to the Gold category for reducing cases by 60 per cent. Thiruvananthapuram, Kollam, Pathanamthitta, Alappuzha, Kottayam, Idukki, Thrissur, Palakkad and Kasaragod recorded a reduced TB incidence of over 40 per cent and were listed in the Silver category, whereas, Ernakulam and Kannur were listed in the Bronze category, for having reduced by more than 20 per cent.

Maharashtra: Several districts and cities of the state reduced TB cases by more than 20 per cent, including Ahmednagar, Akola, and Beed. Ahmednagar was one of the eight districts that shows a reduction of 60 per cent cases in the last five years, and bagged the gold medal, whereas the other two reduced cases by 20 per cent.

Jammu and Kashmir: Three districts of J&K showed significant progress in reducing the TB cases, and were awarded the Gold Medal by the Union Ministry. These include Anantnag, Kupwara and Pulwama, which have shown a 60 per cent reduction. District Baramulla is among the 56 districts that have achieved the Bronze Medal status.

Karnataka: State's five districts were awarded the silver medal for the reduction of 40 per cent of TB cases, including Bengaluru Urban, Belagavi, Udupi, Uttara Kannada and Yadgir. Nine others were listed in the bronze category for observing a 20 per cent drop, including Bengaluru rural, Bijapur, Chamarajnagar, Davanagere, Dharwad, Kolar, Mandya, Shivamogga and Tumkur.

India's Goal To Eradicate TB

The country aims to reduce the incidence of new TB cases by 80 per cent. It has set a target to achieve the 'End Tuberculosis' status by 2025, five years ahead of the UN Sustainable Development Goals timeline.

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