NCDs

Addressing the Hidden Burden Behind Tuberculosis

Integrated Care for TB and Co-morbidities: Tuberculosis frequently affects individuals already living with non-communicable diseases (NCDs) such as diabetes, hypertension, chronic respiratory conditions, and mental health disorders. These co-morbidities weaken immunity, delay diagnosis, complicate treatment, and significantly increase the risk of poor outcomes, including mortality—making TB more difficult to detect, manage, and cure.
Recognizing this hidden burden, TB Alert India has adopted a comprehensive, integrated care approach that goes beyond TB treatment. By incorporating integrated screening, targeted counselling, and strengthened community health systems, TBAI ensures the delivery of holistic, person-centred care that addresses the underlying conditions influencing treatment success.
In the post–COVID-19 context, TBAI has further strengthened collaborations with Primary Health Centres/Ayushman Arogya Mandirs, government health departments, and key stakeholders to improve care linkages and reduce out-of-pocket (catastrophic) expenditure. This approach enables expanded support across a broader range of health conditions beyond TB, ensuring more accessible, equitable, and integrated healthcare for affected communities.

1. TB & Diabetes – Breaking the Cycle of Dual Risk

People with diabetes are at a significantly higher risk of developing TB, and poor glycaemic control adversely affects TB treatment outcomes. To address this dual burden, TBAI integrates on-the-spot diabetes screening using glucometers at community health camps and ensures bi-directional screening for both diseases.

In addition, TBAI provides tailored diet counselling, promotes medication adherence, and supports sustainable lifestyle modifications to improve metabolic control. Strong linkages with nearby Primary Health Centres/Ayushman Arogya Mandirs further ensure continuity of care, enabling better treatment outcomes and overall recovery for affected individuals.

2. TB & Hypertension – Tackling the Silent Pressure

Hypertension is highly prevalent yet often undiagnosed among adults over 30 years of age and is also common among people with TB. Through its community engagement initiatives, TBAI has incorporated routine blood pressure screening into all community health camps.

Individuals with elevated readings are promptly referred to Primary Health Centres/Ayushman Arogya Mandirs for confirmation and treatment. TBAI teams provide counselling on salt reduction, physical activity, medication adherence, and the relationship between TB-related fatigue and high blood pressure.

3. TB & Chronic Lung Diseases – Strengthening Respiratory Health

To improve overall respiratory health among vulnerable populations, TBAI integrates screening for chronic respiratory diseases such as COPD and asthma. Digital and handheld spirometers, along with AI-enabled chest X-ray machines, are deployed as part of community health camps to provide doorstep diagnostic services.

These services are particularly focused on high-risk groups such as stone-cutting, crushing, and polishing workers, and other communities exposed to silica dust. TBAI facilitates early diagnosis, links individuals to appropriate treatment, and offers counselling on smoking cessation, nutrition, treatment adherence, and pulmonary rehabilitation.

4. Mental Health – Healing Beyond the Body

Mental health conditions, including depression, anxiety, social isolation, and stigma, significantly affect treatment adherence and overall recovery across diseases. Recognising this correlation, TBAI provides psychosocial counselling, links individuals to the District Mental Health Programme (DMHP), and conducts regular follow-up.

This integrated psychosocial support ensures that care addresses both the physical and emotional dimensions of TB, as well as other non-communicable disease conditions.