Pradhan Mantri TB Mukt Bharat Abhiyaan

Why Was Pradhan Mantri TB Mukt Bharat Abhiyaan Introduced

India has traditionally been responsible for the highest number of cases of TB across the world. Although there have been some improvements in terms of controlling the disease, TB continues to be a major cause of death due to infectious diseases, mostly among the poor and malnourished population. Many undiagnosed and asymptomatic cases continue to spread the infection among others. There is also a high rate of private notification of TB and poor treatment facilities.

The Abhiyaan aims to address all these deficiencies at once, which include better diagnostics, timely treatment, adequate nutrition, as well as active Jan Bhagidari. The scheme runs under NHM, utilising the same infrastructure as JSY and Ayushman Arogya Mandir. TB patients are provided assistance from the Nikshay Poshan Yojana of ₹1,000 per month. In case of hospitalisation, PMJAY ensures cashless coverage while RAN pays for the catastrophic expenses worth up to ₹15 lakh.

Pradhan Mantri TB Mukt Bharat Abhiyaan- Key Highlights

Who Benefits from Pradhan Mantri TB Mukt Bharat Abhiyaan

The Abhiyaan reaches all TB patients in India without any income criteria and eligibility criteria:

• All presumptive and confirmed TB patients, irrespective of the public and private sector institutions.
• Vulnerable populations such as malnourished patients, congregate patients, aged people, and immunocompromised patients.
• Symptomless TB patients who have been found by screening and would not have been detected otherwise.
• Patients in both rural and urban areas of India are under the NRHM and NUHM framework.
• TB patients in the private sector who have been notified through the Patient Provider Support Agency (PPSA) and the compulsory notification process.

Who makes this programme possible:

Elected representatives, Panchayati Raj Institutions, Urban Local Bodies, 23 Line Ministries, Nikshay Mitras, schools, colleges, and youth volunteers.

Key Strategies Under TB Mukt Bharat Abhiyaan

The Abhiyaan is based on six key strategies (NHM Annual Report 2025-26):

• Early Detection- Choose vulnerable population and screen with AI-powered handheld X-ray & pre-NAAT to all presumptive TB cases.
• Timely Treatment- Ensure that all TB cases are put on treatment immediately.
• Nutrition- Ensure that all diagnosed TB patients under Nikshay Poshan Yojana are provided with nutrition support at the rate of ₹1000/ month.
• Differentiated TB Care- TB treatment pathways for TB cases at higher risk (including those with drug-resistant TB).
• Increase preventive treatment for vulnerable populations eligible for treatment.
• The community is engaged with Jan Bhagidari, elected representatives and civil society groups.

TB Notification Progress- Key Data

India's TB notification data reflects consistent improvement (NHM Annual Report 2025-26):

Notifications made by the private sector have increased 8 fold through strategic engagement through PPSA, mandatory notifications through gazettes, and working together with IMA, IAP, and FOGSI, which are recognised as best practices across the globe (NHM Annual Report 2025-26).

Treatment Success Rate

The TB Mukt Bharat Abhiyaan has sustained consistently improving treatment success rates (NHM Annual Report 2025-26):

India was the first country in the world in 2023 to introduce the mathematical model for TB Burden Estimation at sub-national levels, allowing better monitoring of TB cases and deaths at district and state levels (NHM Annual Report 2025-26).

All patients having TB who are being detected under Abhiyaan will receive ₹1,000 per month in the form of nutrition assistance in the direct benefit transfer scheme, namely Nikshay Poshan Yojana, throughout their treatment period. One of the reasons and consequences of the disease TB is malnutrition, which plays a vital role in improving the results of treatment of these patients. The beneficiaries can get this along with the other benefits through PMJAY or state schemes.

TB Mukt Bharat Abhiyaan and Other Schemes

An individual patient suffering with TB and their family can be eligible to more than one scheme:

• A nutritional allowance of ₹1000 per month for all TB patients under its umbrella is available in Nikshay Poshan Yojana.
• Ayushman Bharat Yojana (PMJAY) is a benefit scheme for TB patients that aims to enable cashless hospitalisation.
• Ayushman Arogya Mandir lists down the primary health centres which will screen, get treatment and follow-up treatment for TB.
• Atal Amrit Abhiyan (Assam) provides free or partial coverage of high-cost diseases for the BPL/APL families, on selected categories of diseases.
• Gopabandhu Jan Arogya Yojana (GJAY) (Odisha) provides up to ₹6 lakh for urban families for hospitalisation.
• Chief Minister's Comprehensive Health Insurance Scheme (CMCHIS) is an insurance scheme launched by the Tamil Nadu government for low-income families with an income limit of ₹5 lakh per month.
• Rashtriya Arogya Nidhi (RAN) provides one-time assistance up to ₹15 lakh for Catastrophic expenditure in Government Super Speciality Hospitals.
• The treatment benefit schemes are available in empanelled institutions to the Mission Vatsalya children suffering from TB who are in institutional care.

Helpline and Support for TB Mukt Bharat Abhiyaan

The Pradhan Mantri TB Mukt Bharat Abhiyaan has contributed to the reduction of TB prevalence by 21%, TB mortality rate by 25% and achieved a TB cure rate of 90%, which is two times the global rate of TB development (Global TB Report 2025, WHO). The program is handling the screening of 20 crore plus people and financial assistance of Rs. 1000/- per month under the scheme of Nikshay Poshan Yojana to all identified beneficiaries.