Tuberculosis elimination: Looking beyond chemotherapy

Abstract

National TB elimination programs mainly focus on TB elimination through the microbiological approach of early diagnosis and treatment and thereby curtailing the transmission of the disease. But looking back, it is observed that despite this approach and various advances in research made in this front, lives are still lost due to TB. Various voices in the past have attempted to showcase the importance of socioeconomic and psychological factors that contribute to the disease causation. This oration was to highlight that we need to look at social determinants of disease causation in TB and to create a roadmap addressing these determinants for eliminating TB in the future. The various attempts being made in NTEP program to address these social issues are also highlighted.