Chennai, July 23 (IANS) Tamil Nadu has detected 48,469 tuberculosis (TB) cases during the first six months of 2026, with all diagnosed patients placed on treatment, Health Minister K.G. Arunraj has said after reviewing the state’s TB elimination programme.
The minister, in a statement on Thursday, said the government would further strengthen surveillance, early diagnosis and community participation to achieve the goal of a TB-free Tamil Nadu.
Chairing a review meeting with district deputy directors of tuberculosis, Arunraj assessed the implementation of the National TB Elimination Programme (NTEP) across the state and reviewed district-wise performance.
He directed officials to intensify case detection, improve treatment outcomes and ensure better coordination among all stakeholders involved in the programme.
The minister said Tamil Nadu had identified 48,469 TB patients between January and June this year through intensified surveillance, following the detection of 93,203 cases during 2025. He said all patients diagnosed this year have already been enrolled for treatment and are being monitored under the state’s TB control programme.
Stressing the importance of early diagnosis, Arunraj instructed officials to strengthen active case-finding campaigns in villages and urban wards with a high risk of TB transmission.
He said health teams should make greater use of chest X-rays and molecular diagnostic tests to identify infections at an early stage, enabling prompt treatment and reducing the spread of the disease.
The minister also emphasised the need to provide preventive treatment to people who have been in close contact with TB patients.
He said protecting high-risk individuals through timely intervention was essential to breaking the chain of transmission and reducing the overall disease burden.
At the same time, he directed officials to ensure comprehensive medical care for critically ill TB patients to improve recovery rates.
Highlighting the state’s progress, Arunraj said 2,390 village panchayats were certified TB-free during 2025, reflecting the impact of sustained public health measures and community-level interventions. He said the fight against tuberculosis required coordinated efforts from government departments, private hospitals, elected representatives, non-governmental organisations and the public.
He said Tamil Nadu would continue implementing the National TB Elimination Programme aggressively with a focus on early detection, uninterrupted treatment and community participation to accelerate progress towards eliminating tuberculosis from the state.
–IANS
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