A total of 56 local bodies, including 38 Gram Panchayats and 18 tribal villages, have been declared “TB Mukt” for 2025 under the National Tuberculosis Elimination Programme, marking a significant milestone in grassroots disease control efforts.
The certifications were conferred on the occasion of World TB Day 2026 by district authorities after these areas met strict public health benchmarks under the TB Mukt Panchayat framework. The recognition spans multiple districts, with 14 Gram Panchayats from South Andaman, 22 from North and Middle Andaman, and two from Nicobar district, along with 18 tribal villages in Nicobar.
Officials said the declaration is based on performance against key indicators that measure both prevention and treatment outcomes. These include maintaining a high rate of TB screening among the population, keeping infection levels low, achieving treatment success rates above 85 per cent, and ensuring adequate drug susceptibility testing for diagnosed cases. Full coverage of financial and nutritional support schemes for TB patients also formed part of the evaluation criteria.
Health authorities indicated that the achievement reflects sustained efforts in early detection, uninterrupted treatment, and coordinated patient support systems at the grassroots level. The programme’s implementation relied heavily on field-level health workers and local governance institutions, which played a central role in monitoring and outreach.
The TB Mukt Panchayat initiative aims to decentralise the fight against tuberculosis by placing responsibility on local administrative units to meet defined health targets. The approach focuses on increasing community awareness, strengthening diagnosis mechanisms, and ensuring that patients complete treatment cycles to prevent relapse or drug resistance.
Officials added that convergence with Panchayati Raj Institutions and community participation has been critical in driving these outcomes. The involvement of local bodies has enabled targeted interventions, particularly in remote and vulnerable regions where access to healthcare services remains a challenge.
Despite the progress, authorities said efforts will continue to expand TB Mukt certification to more areas. The focus remains on intensifying active case finding, improving diagnostic access, and strengthening treatment adherence mechanisms.
The recognition comes at a time when India continues to push towards eliminating tuberculosis as a public health threat, with national programmes emphasising early intervention and community-led monitoring.
