Statement by India at the 142nd Session of the Executive Board (EB) of the World Health Organization (22^nd to 27^th January 2018) on Agenda item 3.9: Preparation for a high-level meeting of the General Assembly on ending tuberculosis, delivered by Sh. Devesh Deval, Deputy Secretary, Ministry of Health and Family Welfare. [WHO HQ, Geneva, 25th January 2018]

Thank You Mr. Chair,

India would like to state that it has committed to eliminating Tuberculosis by 2025 at the ‘1st WHO Global Ministerial Conference on ending TB in Sustainable Development Era’, held in Moscow, in November last year.

2. India has developed National Strategic Plan (NSP) for TB to meet this target. This would require a substantial increase in funding, most of which has been domestically tied up. Active TB case finding strategy has been implemented in high risk areas. Free diagnosis with rapid molecular tests, free treatment with best quality drugs and regimens, financial and nutritional support to patients, online TB notification systems, mobile technology based adherence monitoring system, policy for transparent service purchase schemes, stronger community engagements, communication campaigns, regulatory systems to capture information on all those consuming anti-TB drugs are amongst the actions adopted.

Mr. Chair,

3. India is the major manufacturer of high quality anti-TB drugs for the world, having almost an 80% global market share. India remains committed to working with WHO in purposefully and effectively fighting the persisting challenge of tuberculosis.

Thank You.