The President of India, Shri Pranab Mukherjee has called upon all stakeholders to redouble their efforts for an early achievement of the goal of TB elimination on the eve of World Tuberculosis Day (March 23, 2017).

In his message sent to the Global Coalition Against Tuberculosis, the President has said, "I am happy to learn that World Tuberculosis Day is being observed on 24th March, 2017 to commemorate the day in 1882 when Dr. Robert Koch discovered the TB bacillus.

TB continues to be one of the major health challenges of India. The country today is better prepared to fight TB than ever before. It is capable of effective intervention and possesses advanced technologies for diagnosis, treatment and care of TB. During the period 2012-2017, the Revised National Tuberculosis Control Programme screened over 42 million individuals and more than 7 million patients were administered treatment.

On the occasion of World Tuberculosis Day, I call upon all stakeholders to redouble their efforts for an early achievement of the goal of TB elimination”.

This Press Release issued at 1300 hrs.