World · India Bureau
India's TB mortality drops 38% as treatment success rate hits 94%
India has achieved a sharper decline in tuberculosis deaths than the global average, according to the latest WHO assessment. The country's treatment success rate has also climbed to 94%, underscoring progress in its anti-TB campaign.
LSN India ·
India's tuberculosis mortality rate has fallen by 38% in recent years, outpacing the global reduction of 35%, according to the WHO Global Tuberculosis Report 2026. The achievement reflects sustained efforts to expand diagnosis and treatment across the country's vast healthcare infrastructure.
The treatment success rate across India's TB programmes has reached 94%, a significant milestone in the nation's fight against the infectious disease. This metric indicates that the vast majority of patients diagnosed with tuberculosis are completing their treatment regimens successfully, a critical factor in preventing drug-resistant TB strains and reducing onward transmission.
India, which bears one of the world's heaviest TB burdens, has ramped up efforts to identify and treat cases through its Revised National TB Control Programme. The combination of improved case detection, standardized treatment protocols, and increased access to medicines in both urban and rural areas has contributed to the declining mortality figures.
The WHO report suggests India's progress demonstrates the potential of well-coordinated public health initiatives to bend the curve on one of Asia's most persistent infectious diseases. However, experts note that sustaining this momentum will require continued investment in laboratory infrastructure, trained healthcare workers, and programmes targeting vulnerable populations where TB incidence remains elevated.