As per the WHO estimates, 320,000 Tuberculosis (TB) patients died during 2010. The WHO Global TB Report 2012 puts the estimated that the death rate per 100,000 populations due to TB has declined form 38 in 1990 to 27 in 2010 and further down to 24 in 2011. However, the absolute number of estimated TB deaths is high due to large population.

Recently the union minister of health and family welfare, Ghulam Nabi Azad mentioned  in the Parliament that to reach the unreached, the Revised National Tuberculosis Control Programme (RNTCP) has envisaged many strategies during the Twelfth Five Year Plan period. These include the strengthening and improving the quality of basic Directly Observed Treatment Short-Course (DOTS) services and aligning with health system under NRHM. Apart from that, the focus would be on expanding efforts to engage all care providers

The government also aims to keep strengthening the system and provision of quality care to the vulnerable groups including slum dwellers, tribal population etc. Besides that the other important measure include xpanding diagnosis and treatment of drug resistant TB, mproving communication, outreach, and social mobilization. The health ministry is also promoting research for development and implementation of improved tools and strategies.