Maharashtra Detects 6,111 New TB Cases In 35 Days; AI Flags 11,091 Villages As High Risk

Mumbai, June 24: Maharashtra has detected 6,111 new tuberculosis (TB) cases within the first 35 days of the Centre's "100-Day TB Mukt Bharat Abhiyan", while an AI-based risk assessment has identified 11,091 villages across the state as vulnerable to the disease, Public Health Minister Prakash Abitkar informed the Legislative Assembly on Wednesday.

In a written reply to the House, Abitkar said the Centre's artificial intelligence-driven analysis flagged several districts as high-risk, including Yavatmal (539 villages), Amravati (504), Nagpur (482), Nashik (488) and Raigad (488).

However, the minister dismissed concerns that tuberculosis is disproportionately prevalent in Vidarbha's cotton-growing regions or tribal-dominated areas.

He said regular screening, active case detection and patient registration under the National Tuberculosis Elimination Programme are being carried out across Maharashtra, and no specific region has been found to have an unusually high disease burden.

AI Assessment Flags Vulnerable Areas

Providing district-level data, Abitkar said Latur reported 729 new TB cases between January and April 2026, while 1,020 patients are currently undergoing treatment in the district.

In Ahilyanagar district, 4,493 new TB cases and 92 deaths were recorded during 2025. Between January and May this year, the district reported 1,846 fresh cases and 10 deaths, according to the minister.

Diagnostic Infrastructure Strengthened

Abitkar also refuted allegations that a shortage of modern diagnostic equipment was delaying the detection and treatment of tuberculosis patients.

He said the state has significantly strengthened its diagnostic infrastructure and currently operates 117 AI-enabled handheld X-ray machines, 171 CB-NAAT machines and 746 TrueNAAT machines.

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