Amidst the high decibel organising to mark World TB Day 2026 globally, we got a chance to spend time at TB ground zero: a shelter home for the homeless people in a state (Delhi) with the highest TB incidence in a country with the highest TB burden worldwide (India).
"I stress that TB is not only a medical issue - it is a social and economic challenge," had rightly said Dr Benjamin Paulus Octavianus, Vice Health Minister of Indonesia to CNS (Citizen News Service).
But is TB response, socially and economically just? Can we do better on equity and justice while serving those who are in dire need of TB services? The answer could be a resounding yes. Perhaps keeping this in mind government-run services are partnering with people-led initiatives so that those most at risk can be served with dignity, rights and equity.
Why are the most needy, underserved?
People who are at most risk of TB - such as homeless people and migrants - and who are in the greatest need of standard TB services, often remain unreached, said Dr KP Singh, District TB Officer (Pili Kothi) of government's National TB Elimination Programme, Delhi, India.
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