Journey of tuberculosis control in India

NTP was pilot tested in Anantapur district of Andhra Pradesh during 1961 and thereafter the programme was launched throughout the country. In 1992, the Government of India together with the World Health Organization (WHO) and Swedish International Development Agency (SIDA) reviewed the National TB Programme and concluded that it suffered from managerial weakness, inadequate funding, over-reliance on x-ray, non-standard treatment regimens, low rates of treatment completion and lack of systematic information on treatment outcomes. Programme review showed that only 30% of patients were diagnosed and only 30% of those treated successfully. Based on the findings and recommendations of the review in 1992, the GOI evolved a revised strategy and launched the Revised National TB Control Programme (RNTCP).