70% TB patients in India are under 50

New Delhi: March 24, 2011

Around 40% of India’s population is infected with the bacteria that causes tuberculosis. The majority however are dormant TB carriers. What’s most worrying is that almost 70% of TB patients are aged between 15 and 54 years. While two-thirds are male, TB takes a disproportionately larger toll among young females, with more than 50% of female cases occurring before 34 years of age, according to the Revised National TB Control Programme’s 2011 report. Director-general of health services Dr R K Srivastava says, “By the end of 2015, India will bring in universal access for quality diagnosis and treatment for all TB patients in the community. 

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