As India aims to eliminate TB by 2025, five years ahead of the global target, the Union Health Ministry and Johns Hopkins University have joined hands, accelerating efforts to end the infectious disease particularly among kids below 15 years old in the country.
Johns Hopkins researchers launched the TB-Free Schools Initiative to address the increasing number of TB cases reported among children younger than 15 years in the country.
The initiative, also in collaboration with the Serum Institute of India and AIIMS Gorakhpur, is based on the success of a cost-effective project in Himachal Pradesh. The pilot showed an 87 per cent reduction in TB cases in residential schools.
The initiative will be rolled out to Pune and Satara in Maharashtra, Gorakhpur in Uttar Pradesh, and Chennai in Tamil Nadu.
It will focus on preventing, diagnosing, and treating active and latent cases of TB among students. It will also provide linkage to care, education, and counselling.
“Addressing childhood TB is critical for eliminating tuberculosis in India,” said Dr. Urvashi B. Singh, Deputy Director General, Central Tuberculosis Division, Union Health Ministry.
She noted that the initiatives will provide “cost-effective screening methods that can be deployed in schools nationwide”.
In addition, the JHU also launched an initiative to promote gender equality in STEMM (science, technology, engineering, mathematics, and medicine in India.
The initiative in partnership with the US Department of State will train and mentor 40 early-career women for senior roles in its pilot edition.
“India is a place of tremendous talent and opportunity, and Johns Hopkins values its enduring collaborations in India and their impact. We are excited to launch these two initiatives that reflect our shared commitment to innovation and human flourishing,” said Ronald J. Daniels, President, Johns Hopkins University.
India has one of the largest populations of children under 15 in the world, and childhood TB accounts for an estimated 10% of all TB cases in the country. However, only 6% of reported TB cases are among children, according to the Revised National Tuberculosis Control Programme (RNTCP).
According to the reports, children are particularly vulnerable to TB, with young children at higher risk of severe disease.
It remains the leading cause of infectious disease death among children globally. In India, the case fatality rate for children under five with TB is 43%.
Many childhood TB cases go unreported, especially since a significant number are diagnosed and treated by private practitioners, who often do not report cases to the government program.
This lack of data makes it difficult to accurately assess the true burden of childhood TB in India, say health experts.
The widespread pollution in many Indian cities further exacerbates the risk, as TB is an airborne disease, and poor air quality can increase exposure to the bacteria.