2 weeks ago
Study finds critical gaps in India's TB diagnostic infrastructure
Tuberculosis, or TB, is a sickness that can make people very sick, and India wants to make sure no one gets it anymore.
To stop TB, doctors need special tests to find the sickness early and give the right medicine.
A new study looked at clinics across India to see if they have these tests.
The scientists visited 327 clinics in seven states and Delhi.
They found that very few small clinics, called Primary Health Centres, had all the tools needed.
They also found that India is missing more than half of the special labs needed to find TB that does not respond to normal medicine.
This is a problem because if TB is found late, sick people can pass it to others.
The study says India needs more tests and labs in villages and small towns, not just big cities.
The research was published in a science journal called Microbiology Spectrum in 2026.
A peer-reviewed study in Microbiology Spectrum found critical gaps in India's tuberculosis diagnostic infrastructure at the point of care.
National analysis identified a 61.56% gap in Culture and Drug Susceptibility Testing (CDST) laboratory capacity, with only 97 CDST laboratories available.
Only 4.94% of surveyed Primary Health Centres (PHCs) had the complete set of essential TB diagnostics recommended for that level of care.
Researchers assessed 327 healthcare facilities across seven Indian states and Delhi, with greater representation from Assam.
The study calls for strengthening peripheral laboratories, expanding molecular testing, and investing in human resources to support India's TB elimination goal.
- Who
- Researchers associated with the Foundation for Advancement of Essential Diagnostics (FAED) and collaborating institutions in India and the United States.
- What
- A peer-reviewed study found major gaps in India's point-of-care TB diagnostics, including a 61.56% shortfall in CDST laboratory capacity and limited diagnostic availability at Primary Health Centres.
- Where
- India — 327 healthcare facilities across seven states and Delhi, along with national-level data on TB Treatment Units and CDST laboratories.
- When
- The study was accepted for publication on June 27, 2026, and the findings were reported on August 14, 2026.
- Why
- Because delayed TB diagnosis prolongs infectiousness and contributes to transmission, threatening India's goal of TB elimination.
Key facts
- Study title
- Evaluating the nationwide availability of essential diagnostics for tuberculosis towards achieving a TB-free India
- Journal
- Microbiology Spectrum (American Society for Microbiology)
- Facilities assessed
- 327 healthcare facilities across seven states and Delhi
- CDST laboratory gap
- 61.56%
- CDST laboratories found
- 97
- PHCs with complete essential diagnostics
- 4.94%
- Study accepted
- June 27, 2026, after two rounds of peer review
- Research organisation
- Foundation for Advancement of Essential Diagnostics (FAED)
Quotes
Study authors
Researchers from the Foundation for Advancement of Essential Diagnostics and collaborators
“The question is not simply whether India has advanced TB diagnostic technologies. The more important question is whether a patient presenting at the first point of care can actually access the appropriate diagnostic test and, when necessary, testing for drug resistance.”
theprint.in
“Tuberculosis provides a powerful example of why laboratory equity is a health‑system issue. A diagnostic technology has limited public‑health value if the populations most affected by disease cannot access it when and where they need it.”
theprint.in
Sources
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