Nagaland records a 19% reduction in tuberculosis incidence and an 18% decline in mortality between 2015 and 2024.
KOHIMA — Nagaland recorded a 19% reduction in tuberculosis (TB) incidence and an 18% decline in TB mortality between 2015 and 2024, while 2,582 cases were notified against a target of 3,333 from January to August 2026.
The data was presented during the quarterly review meeting of the National TB Elimination Programme (NTEP) convened by the State TB Cell under the Directorate of Health and Family Welfare, Nagaland, in Kohima on Thursday.
Delivering the welcome address and introductory remarks, State TB Officer (STO) Dr. Akum Jamir outlined the key programmes being implemented by NTEP Nagaland alongside the rollout of the 100 Days Campaign.
Recognising the urgency of programme evaluation, Jamir expressed appreciation for the district teams' adaptability in preparing strategic plans on short notice and stressed the importance of the quarterly review meeting.
Dr. Jamir contextualised the ongoing effort within global and national health frameworks, reminding participants that public health policies align directly with the United Nations Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs), specifically SDG 3, which focuses on ‘Good Health’ and ‘Well-Being’.
He highlighted the disproportionate burden borne by the country, noting that India accounts for roughly 28% of the global TB burden despite comprising only 17% of the world's population. He said the ratio underscored the critical need for aggressive elimination strategies at both the national and state levels.
While the national target set by Prime Minister Narendra Modi aimed for TB elimination by 2025, Dr. Jamir acknowledged that global setbacks, particularly disruptions caused by the COVID-19 pandemic, impacted progress.
The STO said the programme is receiving top-level administrative oversight, with reviews now routinely conducted directly from the Prime Minister's Office (PMO) through regular monitoring of Centrally Sponsored Schemes (CSS), of which NTEP is also a part.
Following high-level meetings involving state chief secretaries, enhanced monitoring frameworks have been instituted down to the block level. He stated that prabhari nodal officers have been entrusted with visiting individual blocks and districts to oversee execution.
Dr. Jamir also informed that state chief secretaries are tasked with reviewing execution and monitoring targets every five months to resolve operational bottlenecks promptly.
Reflecting on the evolution from the Revised National Tuberculosis Control Programme (RNTCP) to the current NTEP framework, Dr. Jamir highlighted significant diagnostic upgrades across healthcare units.
The strategy has shifted towards rapid molecular diagnostic testing and early detection, with X-ray machines and advanced diagnostic equipment being positioned at the block and district levels.
Sputum microscopy is increasingly being utilised primarily for follow-ups, with chest X-rays and rapid molecular tests serving as front-line tools when symptoms appear.
He also informed that, given the scale of the population, screening strategies are prioritising high-risk and vulnerable populations, particularly individuals aged 14 and above, alongside the integration of modern predictive digital tools within the Ni-kshay platform to prevent adverse outcomes.
Meanwhile, Dr. Collins Z Sono, WHO Consultant, updated the participants on the TB Mukt Abhiyaan and informed that, according to the State-Level TB Reduction Progress for 2015-2024, Nagaland achieved a 19% reduction in the TB incidence rate.
The state also recorded an 18% reduction in TB mortality. Comparatively, India recorded a 21% reduction in incidence and a 25% reduction in mortality nationally in 2024.
Presenting the TB care cascade and notification rates from January to August 2026, Dr. Sono informed that out of a mapped population of 830,197, a total of 123,257 people, or 15%, were screened. Peren and Longleng led the state's screening efforts at 85% each.
A total of 2,582 cases were notified against a target of 3,333. Dimapur recorded the highest number of notifications at 1,240, followed by Mon with 328 and Kohima with 298.
On diagnostic services, 64% of enrolled individuals, numbering 40,395, were offered X-rays. A total of 13,541 diagnostic tests were conducted through microscopy and NAAT. Of these, 1,809 were conducted through microscopy and 11,732 through NAAT. Overall functional NAAT capacity utilisation stood at 15% statewide.
On Drug-Resistant TB (DRTB) and diagnostic gaps, Dr. Sono informed that among the 2,582 notified patients, 1,468, or 57%, were bacteriologically confirmed.
Rifampicin resistance was detected in 61 patients, or 2.3%.
There was a 72% gap in Second-Line Line Probe Assay (SL-LPA) testing among rifampicin-resistant patients, with the test offered to only 17 out of 61 patients.
Dr. Sono further informed that a 91% gap existed for the First-Line Line Probe Assay (FL-LPA) among rifampicin-sensitive cases.
On TB comorbidities and preventive care from January to August 2026, 91% of notified patients, numbering 2,362, had a known HIV status. A total of 217 co-infected patients were identified, of whom 59% were initiated on ART.
A total of 82% of patients, numbering 2,129, were screened for diabetes, with 160 diabetic patients identified. Of these, 41% were initiated on ADT. Under TB Preventive Treatment (TPT), 70% of eligible household contacts, or 566 out of 804, were initiated on TPT.
For the way forward, Dr. Sono called on health officials to take steps including setting weekly screening and treatment targets, maximising diagnostic facilities and ensuring real-time data entry in the Nikshay portal, among other measures.