The Gujarat government has launched a new campaign to eliminate tuberculosis (TB) in the next 100 days, but the reality paints a starkly different picture. In the past two years, Gujarat has reported over 2.78 lakh TB cases, with more than 10,000 deaths. This year alone, 4,413 people have died of TB, which amounts to approximately 14 people dying every day from the disease.

As of Thursday, the state has recorded 1.34 lakh new TB cases, continuing a troubling trend of over 1 lakh new cases annually. The highest number of cases this year was reported in the Amdavad Municipal Corporation (AMC)  area, with 15,394 cases, followed by 3,557 cases in Ahmedabad Rural. In total, Ahmedabad district has reported 18,951 cases in 2024. Surat ranks second, with 15,149 cases.

TB cases among young people have raised serious concerns. Experts say TB can affect any part of the body, although it most commonly impacts the lungs, known as pulmonary TB. 

If left untreated, it can spread through the lungs, causing symptoms like chest pain, long-term cough with mucus, and sometimes even blood. Around 25% of people may not show symptoms at all. In severe cases, TB can spread beyond the lungs, affecting other parts of the body, leading to extrapulmonary TB, which is more common in people with weakened immune systems and young children. The most severe form, disseminated tuberculosis, accounts for around 10% of extrapulmonary cases.

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