Around 10.6 million people across the world were diagnosed with the TB in 2021, an increase of 4.5 percent from 2020, while 1.6 million patients died of the bacterial disease, according to the World Health Organization’s 2022 Global TB report.

There are more tuberculosis (TB) patients in India than in any other country due to its large population, Microsoft co-founder and philanthropist Bill Gates said in an interview to the influencer Shraddha during his recent visit to India to explore business opportunities in health, education, and other sectors.

bill gates india tuberculosis — Image Credit : Gates Foundation India

Gates said that his foundation is working toward the goal of developing medication that reduces the course period from six to three months and is free from side-effects.

Bill Gates & wife Melinda — Image credit: WestfieldDevelopment

“There is a lot to be excited about even though it’s a very tough disease,” he added.

Gates also appreciated India’s efforts to eliminate deadly diseases like visceral leishmaniasis and lymphatic filariasis.

Visceral leishmaniasis, the most severe form of leishmaniasis also known as kala-azar, is a life-threatening disease caused by Leishmania parasites which are transmitted by female sandflies.

Lymphatic filariasis, considered globally as a neglected tropical disease (NTD), is a parasitic disease caused by microscopic, thread-like worms.

Around 10.6 million people across the world were diagnosed with tuberculosis (TB) in 2021, an increase of 4.5 percent from 2020, while 1.6 million patients died of the bacterial disease, according to the World Health Organization’s 2022 Global TB report.

Over the next 15 years, the world can prevent 10 million people from dying of tuberculosis: http://t.co/Rwlq21UvRK pic.twitter.com/mAxnvMPFVO

— Bill Gates (@BillGates) May 1, 2015

India’s National TB Elimination Programme – earlier known as Revised National TB Control Programme – has been strengthened to meet the goal of ending the TB epidemic in the country by 2025, five years ahead of the Sustainable Development Goals (SDG) for 2030. To achieve this target, India has set out The TB National Strategic Plan (NSP) 2020 – 2025.

TB is a curable disease and requires a six month long medication course. The main issue with the prevention of this disease is that many patients don’t complete the course and drop-out rates keep increasing. The issue was more prevalent after the Covid-19 pandemic.

India also launched the Pradhan Mantri TB Mukt Bharat Abhiyaan in September, 2022 which is geared to bring together all community stakeholders to support TB treatment and accelerate the country’s progress towards TB elimination.

Also Read: Global collaboration to widen equitable access to Tuberculosis tests