TB positivity rate in Telangana at 1.6% among vulnerable groups
HYDERABAD: Telangana recorded 70,826 tuberculosis (TB) cases among vulnerable groups between December 2024 and February 2026, with a positivity rate of 1.6 per cent, according to the latest Nikshay data. In the general population, the positivity rate was higher at 3 per cent, with 20,359 cases detected.
Health officials noted improvements in case detection but highlighted the need to strengthen diagnostic infrastructure, particularly portable hand-held X-ray machines. An official told reporters that the state requires 76 machines—ideally one per 10 lakh population—while only 28 have been promised so far, as reported by DC.
Expanded screening under TB Mukt Bharat Abhiyan
Telangana screened 52.21 lakh people under the intensified TB case-finding drive across all 33 districts, up from nine vulnerable districts in earlier phases. Of these, 45.28 lakh belonged to vulnerable populations identified from 68.71 lakh high-risk individuals. However, only 66 per cent of the vulnerable population has been screened, leaving nearly one-third uncovered. Chest X-ray screening, a key early detection tool, reached 20.12 lakh individuals (44 per cent), identifying 23,846 with abnormal findings. Molecular testing is widely adopted, with 88 per cent of 8.30 lakh microbiology tests using Nucleic Acid Amplification Tests (NAAT) for faster detection.
Gaps in patient support
Despite progress in screening, patient support remains limited. Telangana has 91,435 notified TB patients, but only 797—about one per cent—have received full financial benefits under the Nikshay Poshan Yojana. Nutritional assistance through Poshan kits reached 18,909 patients, or 30 per cent of those who consented. Differentiated TB Care, providing customised treatment and follow-up, covered 16 per cent (14,968 patients). Preventive therapy remains weak, with only 7 per cent (11,624) of 1.74 lakh eligible household contacts initiated on treatment.
District-wise disparities
Screening numbers varied widely. Hyderabad led with 7.50 lakh screenings, followed by Ranga Reddy (3.88 lakh), Nalgonda (2.95 lakh), Siddipet (2.41 lakh), Nizamabad (2.20 lakh), Hanumakonda (2.08 lakh) and Khammam (2.04 lakh). At the lower end, Kumuram Bheem Asifabad (30,873), Jayashankar Bhupalapally (32,059), Mulugu (37,014) and Nirmal (43,382) recorded the fewest screenings. By vulnerable population coverage, Hanumakonda, Peddapalli, and Siddipet achieved 100 per cent coverage.
