India, March 24 -- No single infectious organism, not even the Covid-19, kills as many people as tuberculosis (TB), a millennia-old epidemic. Sadly, a quarter of the global TB cases is concentrated in India. However, the Indian government is committed to eliminating the disease, with Union health minister JP Nadda recently posting on his blog that India has seen a substantial decline (20%) in TB incidents and mortality, which is no minor feat.

As TB clinicians and researchers with decades of field experience with this persistent malady, we are confident that India can attain its TB elimination goals through robust implementation policies, sustained political commitment, and a multisectoral approach that addresses the social determinants ...