Delhi-Triage and Treat Tuberculosis Initiative: An Important Step Towards Tuberculosis Elimination

Tuberculosis is one of the oldest known infective diseases. It continues to pose a major threat to global health. In low- and middle-income countries, drug-resistant strains of tuberculosis have made the disease increasingly dangerous. In high-burden countries like India, people with tuberculosis may not always have a comprehensive examination for severe illness (requiring hospitalization management) due to oversaturated outpatient departments, inadequate diagnostic capacity, and a lack of manpower. Oftentimes, these patients are initiated on treatment, and detailed assessments for severe illnesses are missed. This is particularly important in a country with the greatest tuberculosis burden, where two tuberculosis-related deaths occur every three minutes. The present article throws light on this grave issue, emphasizing the need for early triage at the time of diagnosis, which would ultimately impact overall mortality and treatment outcomes.