Telangana has about 10,000 tuberculosis (TB) patients, according to the Ni-kshay portal.
Hyderabad:Telangana has about 10,000 tuberculosis (TB) patients, according to the Ni-kshay portal. To boost TB elimination efforts, the central government launched the 100-day TB Mukt Bharat campaign on December 7. In Telangana, the campaign ran across nine districts, screening 5.28 lakh people—about 45 per cent of the target. Between December 7, 2024, and February 11, 2025, 7,160 cases were detected in government hospitals and 5,615 in private facilities.
While the campaign has strengthened patient identification and care, progress remains uneven across districts. The initiative targeted high-risk groups, including individuals with a family history of TB, those living near TB patients, people over 60, malnourished individuals, smokers, alcoholics and those with HIV or diabetes.
A key focus of the campaign is studying TB bacteria’s resistance to drugs like rifampicin, a crucial component in treatment. Telangana has 435 Designated Microscopy Centres (DMCs) and 130 NAAT-based molecular testing machines, including 40 CBNAAT and 90 TruNAAT systems. However, testing infrastructure is insufficient in many districts. Adilabad has only 20 per cent of the required NAAT microscopy capacity, while most other districts operate at around 50 per cent. Peddapalli is an exception, exceeding capacity at 118 per cent, followed by Wanaparthy at 69 per cent.
The campaign’s progress varies across districts. Mahbubnagar has achieved 100 per cent of its NAAT microscopy target, while Wanaparthy, Suryapet and Karimnagar report the lowest testing rates. Medak, Bhadradri-Kothagudem and Peddapalli have surpassed 96 per cent.
Patients identified through the campaign automatically qualify for free medicines, nutritional support, and a monthly incentive of `1,000. However, government data reveals significant gaps in benefit distribution. Nagarkurnool leads in benefit disbursement, but it accounts for only 18 per cent of all beneficiaries. Meanwhile, Mahabubnagar and Medak have yet to receive their entitlements.
“A budget of `4 crore has just been released for incentives, so we expect progress in the coming weeks," said Dr A Rajesham, joint director of State TB Elimination Programme. “For medicines and nutrition kits, we are trying to rope in pharmaceutical companies as Nikshay Mitras and donate nutrition kits. This aspect relies on donor contributions,” he added. The campaign will continue until March 17.
