Current status of tuberculosis and acute respiratory infections in India: much more needs to be done!

Tuberculosis (TB) continues to remain one of the most pressing health problems in India. India is the highest TB burden country in the world, accounting for one fifth of the global incidence an estimated 1.96 million cases annually(1). Approximately 2.9 million people die from tuberculosis each year worldwide; about one fifth of them in India alone(1). Nearly 500,000 die from the disease – more than 1000 per day–one every minute(2). The disease is a major barrier to social and economic development. An estimated 100 million workdays are lost due to illness. The society and the country also incur a huge cost due to TB–nearly US$ 3 billion in indirect costs and US$ 300 million in direct costs(2). The situation is more complicated considering that TB disproportionately affects the young population in India. TB mortality in the country has reduced from an estimated 42 per lakh population in 1990 to 28 per lakh population in 2006, and the prevalence of TB in the country has reduced from 568 per lakh population in 1990 to 283 per lakh population by the year 2007(1).