Chandigarh: Even as Punjab recorded an overall treatment success rate of 90% among drug-sensitive tuberculosis patients, matching the national benchmark and exceeding the global average, TB preventive therapy remained largely confined to household contacts, leaving several other vulnerable groups outside its coverage.Punjab set elimination benchmarks, including reducing TB incidence to 47 per lakh population and mortality to 3 per lakh population. While improved treatment outcomes indicate progress, bridging the preventive therapy gap among high-risk groups will be critical for sustaining gains and moving closer to TB elimination.
According to govt figures, 58,169 drug-sensitive TB patients were notified between Dec 2024 and Jan 2026, of which 51,412 recorded a successful treatment outcome. At the same time, 2,907 patients, around 9%, recorded unfavourable outcomes, including deaths, loss to follow-up, treatment failure, refusal of treatment and untraceable cases. District-level data show strong performance in several areas. Malerkotla, Amritsar, Tarn Taran and Gurdaspur each reported a 92% treatment success rate. Ludhiana, Pathankot and Hoshiarpur followed at 91%, while Mohali stood at 90%. On the other hand, Faridkot reported a lower success rate of 78%, Sangrur and Patiala 82% each, Barnala 83%, and Kapurthala 84%. While treatment outcomes reflect sustained efforts under the National TB Elimination Programme, preventive coverage presents a stark contrast. Statewide data show that 1,04,144 household contacts of TB patients were identified as eligible for TB preventive treatment, but only 13,604 household contacts were initiated on preventive therapy, amounting to 13% coverage. Among other identified risk groups, 11,07,273 individuals were marked eligible, yet only 488 were started on preventive treatment. Programme documents specifically flag that TB preventive treatment is currently provided only to household contacts and certain other risk groups, with broader vulnerable populations not covered. Public health experts underline that preventive therapy is crucial because tuberculosis infection can remain dormant for years before progressing to active disease. Providing preventive treatment to high-risk individuals helps interrupt this progression, reduce transmission in the community and lower future caseloads. Without expanding coverage, the state risks continuing cycles of infection, particularly in high-burden districts. Under the ongoing TB Mukt Bharat Abhiyan campaign from December 7, 2024 to January 27, 2026, 32% of the vulnerable population, 12.91 lakh out of 40.16 lakh identified, was screened so far. X-ray examination coverage stands at 43%, and 82% of diagnostic tests conducted were NAAT-based. The state has 202 NAAT machines, including 36 CBNAAT and 166 Truenat machines, with 63% utilisation in 1 shift, and 95 handheld X-ray units, of which 23 are available and 72 are in the pipeline. Dr Rajesh Bhaskar, head of the Punjab TB Cell, said that directions were issued to all districts to broaden TB Preventive Treatment to additional high-risk groups as a key step forward. Other proposed measures include scaling up targeted screening, decentralising rapid molecular diagnostics and strengthening private sector engagement. He added that instructions were also issued to increase case detection and referrals, improve sputum testing by more than 5%, conduct TB death audits for all reported TB deaths and strengthen universal TB screening across public health touchpoints, including PHCs, CHCs, AAMs and Aam Aadmi Clinics. Districts were further asked to maximise utilisation of NAAT and handheld X-ray machines through effective referral linkages and daily monitoring, and to improve treatment adherence, follow-ups and timely management of adverse drug reactions to enhance treatment success rates.
