World Tuberculosis Day: Bacteria causing TB discovered

It was on March 24, 1882, that German Physician and Microbiologist Heinrich Hermann Robert Koch announced his discovery of the causative agent of tuberculosis, bacterium mycobacterium tuberculosis, paving the way for diagnosis, treatment and cure of ‘the world’s deadliest infectious diseases’. It is also known as Koch's disease.

The same day in 1982, but a century after the discovery of the causing agent, the International Union Against Tuberculosis and Lung Disease declared World TB Day.

Born at Clausthal, Kingdom of Hanover, German Confederation, on December 11, 1843, Koch won several recognitions, including the Nobel Prize in Physiology/Medicine in 1905. Koch also discovered cholera and anthrax, and shared the title of "Father of Microbiology" with Louis Pasteur.

India, which figured among susceptible geographical regions, is also a signatory to the United Nations Sustainable Goals (SDGs). While the SDG deadline for the eradication of TB is 2030, the government is committed to meeting the target by the end of the year.

Deviating from earlier observations, when the disease was considered incurable, it is now both preventable and curable. India figured among eight nations where nearly half of TB cases occurred, according to the World Health Organisation. Bangladesh, China, Indonesia, Nigeria, Pakistan, the Philippines and South Africa are other nations.

Global efforts to end TB are reported to have saved 79 million lives during the first quarter of the ensuing century. 10.8 million people were reported to have fallen ill with TB, leaving 1.25 million dead in 2023, as per a 2024 report.

The day underscores the importance of early diagnosis, timely treatment and preventive measures supplementing the global efforts to improve access to healthcare for saving millions of lives.

'Commit, Invest and Deliver' has been conceived as a universal formula for the eradication of the disease at the global level, while provisioning for the challenges in achieving the target.

The Covid pandemic had a major impact on the National TB Programme in India, as patients were unable to visit hospitals. Diversion of resources and personnel allotted for TB was also responsible for delaying the eradication of the disease.

In 2018, the Modi government launched the Nikshay Poshan Yojana to support TB patients through Direct Benefit Transfer of Rs 500 per month for nutritional needs. The amount has since been doubled. All patients registered on the scheme portal are eligible to avail the benefit.

Caused by one of the most persistent pathogens, TB causes more deaths than malaria or AIDS. India accounts for more than one-fourth of the total TB cases across the world, necessitating commitment, investment and delivery as a nation.