Strategy and way forward for TB elimination.

Area of Science:

• Public Health
• Infectious Disease Control
• Health Policy

Background:

• Tuberculosis (TB) remains a significant public health challenge in India.
• The current TB notification rate requires substantial increase to meet elimination goals.
• Existing strategies need enhancement to achieve ambitious targets.

Purpose of the Study:

• To review India's National Strategic Plan (NSP) for TB Elimination 2017-25.
• To outline key strategies and interventions for achieving ambitious TB notification targets.
• To emphasize patient-centered approaches and partnerships for TB elimination.

Main Methods:

• Review of the National Strategic Plan (NSP) for TB Elimination 2017-25.
• Analysis of proposed strategies, interventions, and commitments.
• Focus on patient-centered approaches and public-private-patient partnerships.

Main Results:

• The NSP sets an ambitious target of 3.5 million TB notifications annually.
• Key strategies include patient support systems and social protection.
• Synergistic public-private-patient partnerships are crucial for success.

Conclusions:

• The NSP's success hinges on effective implementation of patient-centered strategies.
• Reaching the unreached requires robust patient support and social protection.
• Achieving TB elimination necessitates a collaborative approach involving all stakeholders.