With 25% of the world’s Tuberculosis (TB) cases, India ranks first among the twenty-two high-burden countries for TB. Over 1,000 Indians die each day from TB – a disease that is both preventable and curable.

The project provides technical assistance to the Government of India to improve coverage and quality of TB diagnosis and treatment. With USAID support, the Government of India achieved complete national coverage of India’s entire population of 1.1 billion with WHO-recommended Directly Observed Therapy-Short Course (DOTS) treatment in March 2006. DOTS uses improved medicines and methodologies to reduce treatment times from 18 months to six months, increase efficacy and thwart the mutation of drug-resistant strains of the disease-causing bacteria, which can complicate treatment.

USAID also supports research and activities related to the emerging challenges of drug-resistant TB and TB-HIV co-infection, mainly through the TB Research Center in Chennai and a partnership with the CDC.

USAID and its partners:

• Increase public awareness of TB to encourage early diagnosis and effective treatment;
• Increase and improve coverage and quality of TB treatment in India with technical assistance provided through the WHO;
• Provide advocacy and training in DOTS treatment methodology to Indian health professionals; and
• Address emerging threats related to drug resistance and TB-HIV co-infection.