NISCHIT Plus (TB)

Strengthening India’s TB Elimination Efforts

4,300+

Healthcare Personnel Trained

2,071

HCWs Tested

44%

LTBI Positivity

Overview

NISCHIT Plus (TB) provides technical assistance to the National TB Elimination Program (NTEP) under the Ministry of Health and Family Welfare, Government of India, in collaboration with the Central TB Division and State TB Offices. This initiative strengthens implementation of the National Strategic Plan across its four pillars — Prevent, Detect, Treat, and Build — advancing India’s TB elimination goals.

With a pan-India presence, the project supports healthcare institutions, high-burden urban settlements, pediatric populations, household contacts of TB patients, healthcare workers, and congregate settings across multiple states and Union Territories.

Aim

To strengthen TB prevention, infection control, and early detection systems under NTEP through evidence-based, data-driven, and population-focused interventions across India.

Objectives

Strengthening infection prevention and control (IPC) practices in primary, secondary and tertiary healthcare institutions of selected districts of in 20 states across India and expand HCW surveillance activities in a phase wise manner across all 20 states. Initiation of TB IPC and HCW surveillance activities in India’s Apex institutes (AIIMS and ESIC) across these 20 states.
Determining the usefulness of Delamanid as tuberculosis preventive treatment (TPT) for household contacts of fluoroquinolone-resistant pulmonary drug-resistant adult TB patients in Mumbai.
Explore methods to improve pediatric TB diagnosis through use of nucleic acid amplification test (NAAT) molecular diagnostic testing on alternative samples: stool, tongue brushing, samples; improve linkage to TB evaluation and diagnosis in children with symptoms consistent with TB at three sites.
Prevent the transmission of TB among healthcare workers through screening for TB and latent TB infection at Mahatma Gandhi Institute of Medical Sciences, Sevagram.
Leveraging advances in public health activities developed to address the COVID pandemic towards improving TB services by focusing on intensified TB case finding and provision of TPT to place-based contacts in areas of high TB transmission at three sites.

Our Interventions

1. Institutionalizing Infection Prevention & Control (IPC) Systems

We strengthen IPC systems across healthcare facilities through structured assessments, building the capacity of hospital infection control committees, digital compliance dashboards, and implementation of administrative and environmental control measures.

2. Expanding Access to TB Infection Testing & Preventive Therapy

We support systematic household contact screening, IGRA-based testing, initiation and follow-up of TB Preventive Therapy, and data-driven approaches to identify and reach missed populations.

3. Protecting Healthcare Workers & High-Risk Populations

We implement structured TB infection screening for healthcare workers, strengthen occupational health safeguards, promote adherence to infection control practices, and support preventive therapy initiation where indicated.

4. Enhancing Pediatric TB Detection Pathways

We engage Anganwadi centres and schools to improve early symptom identification, strengthen referral linkages to diagnostic services, and facilitate timely linkage to treatment for children with TB.

5. Strengthening District-Level Data Validation & Analytics

We build the capacity of district and sub-district program staff in data validation and analysis, support real-time monitoring systems, and enable evidence-based district action planning.

6. Translating Evidence into Program Improvements

We document implementation learnings, generate operational evidence, and integrate research findings into routine program planning and policy refinement.

Key Activities and Accomplishments

Infection Prevention & Control

• 4,300+ healthcare personnel trained in TB-IPC practices.

• 222 healthcare facilities completed baseline and quarterly IPC assessments using a standardized 61-indicator tool.

• State-level dashboards operationalized for real-time IPC compliance monitoring.

Healthcare Worker Protection (PrTHAM — Sevagram)

• 2,071 healthcare workers enrolled for LTBI testing using IGRA and Cy-TB.

• 223 initiated on TB Preventive Therapy with an 85% completion rate.

• 1,370 personnel trained in structured IPC sessions.

Household Contact & LTBI Interventions (HaALT — Nagpur)

• 1,038 household contacts tested; 44% identified as LTBI positive.

• 283 completed TB Preventive Therapy; 1,305 contacts followed at six-month intervals.

• 23 active TB cases identified and linked to treatment.

Data-Driven TB Prevention (Delhi, Sikkim, Karnataka)

• 1,304 close contacts reached; 439 initiated on TB Preventive Therapy.

• Hotspot mapping and AI-assisted chest X-rays deployed for enhanced early detection.

Pediatric TB Strengthening

• 569 Anganwadi centres and 249 schools reached in Mumbai; additional outreach conducted in Delhi.

140 individuals referred; 6 diagnosed and linked to treatment.