India needs a stronger strategy to save its failing fight against TB

Tuberculosis (TB) is one of the top ten causes of death in the world. Each year, it infects over eight million people and, despite being curable, kills nearly two million globally. A majority of the TB burden is borne by developing countries, mainly India. India has the highest incidence of TB, having reported 2.8 million new cases and 4,80,000 deaths in 2015, more than a quarter of the global share. Cases of drug-resistant TB in patients have also increased in recent times, with 2015 seeing a rise by 11 percent from the previous year. Unfortunately, only 59 percent of the patients receive treatment in India.