Prime Minister Narendra Modi chairs a crucial meeting to assess India’s tuberculosis elimination campaign, with the nation racing against its 2025 target.
By Our Correspondent
New Delhi: On May 13, 2025, Prime Minister Narendra Modi chaired a high-level meeting to review the progress of India’s tuberculosis (TB) elimination campaign. Held in New Delhi, the meeting included Union Health Minister JP Nadda, Health Secretary Punya Salila Srivastava, and senior PMO officials. With India’s ambitious goal to eliminate TB by the end of 2025, the meeting focused on evaluating strategies and addressing gaps as the deadline approaches.
Pushing Toward the 2025 TB-Free Goal
India set an ambitious target to eliminate TB by 2025, five years ahead of the global Sustainable Development Goals timeline. The National Tuberculosis Elimination Programme (NTEP) has scaled up efforts, including free diagnostics, treatment, and nutritional support for patients. However, challenges like drug-resistant TB and under-reporting persist. The meeting likely addressed these issues, aiming to strengthen community outreach, enhance early detection, and ensure universal access to advanced treatments like the BPaL regimen for multidrug-resistant TB.
Key Stakeholders Collaborate for Impact
The presence of Union Health Minister JP Nadda and Health Secretary Punya Salila Srivastava underscores the government’s commitment to the TB-free India vision. Discussions may have centered on integrating technology, such as AI-based diagnostics, and increasing funding for TB programs. Senior PMO officials likely emphasized the need for inter-ministerial coordination to address social determinants like poverty and malnutrition, which fuel TB prevalence, ensuring a holistic approach to meet the 2025 goal.
Challenges and the Road Ahead
Despite progress, India remains the world’s highest TB burden country, with over 2.6 million cases annually as per WHO estimates. The 2025 deadline is a steep challenge, requiring accelerated efforts in rural healthcare infrastructure and public awareness. The meeting reflects Modi’s hands-on approach to health policy, signaling a final push to achieve a TB-free India by year-end, aligning with his broader vision for a healthier nation.
As the 2025 TB elimination deadline nears, PM Modi’s leadership aims to galvanize efforts, ensuring India overcomes challenges to achieve a historic public health milestone.