There is a concerted effort to eliminate tuberculosis (TB) from the world. The shift in the global threat perception of the disease was evident at the first ever Global Ministerial Conference on ending TB in Moscow late last year. There, 120 nations adopted the Moscow Declaration, which included commitments on universalizing access to TB care, ensuring adequate financing of TB programmes, investing in research and development (R&D) and building mechanisms to review progress.

Tuberculosis or TB is a global health crisis that affects an estimated 9.6 million people in the world. 2.8 million of those affected are Indians, making India the TB capital of the world. The disease continues to spread at an alarming rate in the country, making it an epidemic.