About Our Programme
About Our Programmes
Tuberculosis frequently affects individuals who are already living with non-communicable diseases (NCDs) such as diabetes, hypertension, chronic respiratory conditions, and mental health disorders. These co-existing conditions weaken immunity, delay diagnosis, complicate clinical management, and significantly increase the risk of adverse treatment outcomes, including mortality—making TB harder to detect, treat, and cure.
Recognizing this often-overlooked burden, TB Alert India has adopted a comprehensive and integrated care approach that goes beyond TB treatment alone. Our model ensures that TB services simultaneously address underlying health conditions that influence treatment adherence and outcomes. Through integrated screening, targeted counselling, and strengthened community health systems, we deliver holistic, person-centred care that responds to the full spectrum of patient needs.
In the post–COVID-19 context, TB Alert India has further strengthened its collaborations with Primary Health Centres/Ayushman Arogya Mandirs, government health departments, and key stakeholders. These partnerships aim to enhance care linkages, improve service accessibility, and reduce out-of-pocket (catastrophic) expenditure for affected communities—extending support across a broader range of health conditions beyond TB.
Why Our Programmes Work
At TB Alert India, our impact comes from how we work. Guided by innovation, equity, and sustainability, we use technology like AI-enabled X-rays and mobile apps, build partnerships with government, private providers, and industries, and ensure community ownership by empowering people most affected by TB to lead the fight.
This approach has helped us reach over 66 lakh people, screen 31 lakh individuals, and support 1.6 lakh patients with treatment and follow-up. Beyond survival, our programmes restore dignity, opportunity, and hope, driving India closer to a TB-free future by 2025.
NCDs
Addressing the Hidden Burden Behind Tuberculosis
Tuberculosis frequently affects individuals who are already living with non-communicable diseases (NCDs) such as diabetes, hypertension, chronic respiratory conditions, and mental health disorders. These co-existing conditions weaken immunity, delay diagnosis, complicate clinical management, and significantly increase the risk of adverse treatment outcomes, including mortality. They also make TB harder to detect, treat, and cure.
Recognising this hidden burden, TB Alert India has adopted a comprehensive, integrated care approach to ensure that TB services also address the underlying health issues that influence treatment success. Through integrated screening, targeted counselling, and strengthened community health systems, TBAI ensures the delivery of holistic, person-centred care that goes far beyond TB alone.
In the post–COVID-19 context, TBAI has further expanded its collaborations with Primary Health Centres/Ayushman Arogya Mandirs, health departments, and other key stakeholders to strengthen care linkages and reduce out-of-pocket expenditure (catastrophic costs) for affected communities across the following health conditions beyond TB.
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.
TBAI provides diet counselling, facilitates linkages with nearby Primary Health Centres/Ayushman Arogya Mandirs, promotes medication adherence, and supports lifestyle modifications to improve metabolic health and TB recovery.
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.
