New Delhi: In a significant breakthrough in the fight against tuberculosis, Union Minister Jitendra Singh announced the completion of genome sequencing of 10,000 isolates of Mycobacterium tuberculosis at a summit organised on the occasion of World TB Day at Vigyan Bhawan. This achievement marks a major step in India's commitment to eradicating TB ahead of the World Health Organization’s (WHO) 2030 targets.
Addressing a gathering of leading medical academicians, health scientists, researchers, and senior officials, Jitendra Singh highlighted the government's efforts to eliminate tuberculosis five years before the WHO’s global goal. He stressed the importance of collaborative research and a whole-of-science, whole-of-government, and whole-of-mission approach to achieving this target.
The genome sequencing initiative is part of the Dare2eraD TB programme (Data Driven Research to Eradicate TB), launched on March 24, 2022, which focuses on data-driven research to eliminate TB. A key component of this initiative is the Indian Tuberculosis Genomic Surveillance (InTGS) Consortium, led by the Department of Biotechnology (DBT), the Council of Scientific and Industrial Research (CSIR), and the Indian Council of Medical Research (ICMR), in collaboration with major clinical institutions. The programme aims to sequence over 32,000 TB isolates to identify drug resistance mutations and improve treatment outcomes.
Jitendra Singh noted that the deep genomic dataset being developed has the potential to revolutionise TB diagnostics and drug resistance prediction. He emphasised that genome sequencing can significantly enhance diagnostic accuracy and enable faster resistance profiling, reducing the time needed to determine effective treatments from weeks to mere hours or days. This will allow for tailored treatment regimens, reducing the risk of treatment failure or relapse.
Drawing from his medical background, Jitendra Singh reflected on the historical challenges of TB treatment in India, from the stigma surrounding the disease to advances in medical science. He called for greater community engagement, emphasising that TB eradication is not just a scientific or medical challenge but a societal one. "Unless we involve common people, raise their consciousness, and evoke their participation, our fight against TB will remain incomplete," he said.
Acknowledging the role of scientific advancements in the fight against tuberculosis, the minister noted that while phenotypic drug-susceptibility tests and M. tuberculosis culture are regarded as the gold standard for diagnosis, genome sequencing technologies are increasingly being used for strain identification and drug resistance prediction. These advancements provide valuable insights for clinical decision-making and surveillance activities.
He also pointed out that the adoption of molecular methods for TB diagnosis and resistance testing remains uneven, significantly influenced by socioeconomic disparities across countries. To combat TB effectively, he said, it is crucial to scale up these innovations and integrate them into real-world implementation.
Rajesh Gokhale, secretary of DBT, described the completion of 10,000 genome sequences as a milestone achievement, adding that the data will be instrumental in strengthening India's TB surveillance and diagnostic capabilities. He stressed the importance of translating this research into practical applications that can be scaled up for real-world impact.
The event also saw the participation of senior officials, including N. Kalaiselvi, director general of CSIR; Rajiv Bahl, director general of ICMR; and M. Srinivas, director of AIIMS, among others.
Jitendra Singh commended the proactive and visionary initiatives that support transformative innovations, strengthening India's ability to address TB more effectively than ever before.
With India accounting for a significant portion of the global TB burden, this breakthrough in genome sequencing is expected to enhance national and global efforts to combat the disease. The government's continued investment in cutting-edge research, combined with policy interventions and community participation, could pave the way for a TB-free India ahead of its 2025 target.
BI Bureau
