Tuberculosis (TB) continues to be one of India’s most pressing public health challenges, with the country accounting for a significant portion of the global TB burden. In line with India’s ambitious goal to eliminate TB by 2025, five years ahead of the global Sustainable Development Goals, Apollo Tyres Foundation has reaffirmed its commitment through strategic partnerships and impactful grassroots initiatives. The fourth edition of the Partnership for Action Against Tuberculosis (PAcT) initiative brought together key stakeholders to amplify efforts for a TB-free India.
Understanding the Challenge: TB in India
India bears the highest burden of TB globally. Despite being a preventable and curable disease, TB remains a major cause of illness and death, particularly among marginalised communities. Among the most vulnerable are truck drivers, whose mobile lifestyle, exposure to unhealthy environments, and lack of access to regular healthcare make them susceptible to infections. Effective TB elimination strategies must address such high-risk groups through tailored interventions and support systems.
Apollo Tyres Foundation: Driving Change from the Ground Up
Apollo Tyres Foundation has taken a targeted approach to combat TB, especially among trucking communities. By focusing on awareness creation, early diagnosis, and ensuring consistent treatment adherence, the Foundation is reaching populations that are often left behind in traditional public health models.
Key interventions include sputum collection and testing, awareness sessions at transport hubs, and the linkage of diagnosed individuals to Directly Observed Treatment Short-course (DOTS) centres for continued care. Since the inception of PAcT in 2020, the initiative has conducted awareness activities for over 500,000 people, facilitated TB testing for nearly 12,000 individuals, and identified 508 positive cases, of which 429 were successfully linked to treatment centres.
Strengthening Collaboration: Corporations, Government, and Civil Society
The fight against TB cannot be won in silos. One of the core messages emerging from the recent edition of PAcT was the importance of collaboration. The Corporate TB Pledge (CTP), a joint initiative of the Government of India and USAID, exemplifies this collective action. With over 150 companies pledging their commitment and resources, CTP is a testament to how public-private partnerships can accelerate progress toward national health goals.
Apollo Tyres Foundation plays a pivotal role in this ecosystem, acting as a bridge between corporate efforts and government-led initiatives. Through its on-ground projects and active participation in CTP, the Foundation reinforces that ending TB is not just a health imperative but also a corporate responsibility.
Overcoming Setbacks: The COVID-19 Impact
The COVID-19 pandemic presented an unprecedented challenge to TB control efforts across the globe. In India, the redirection of healthcare resources and the disruption of routine TB services led to a rise in TB-related deaths for the first time in a decade. This regression highlights the urgent need to restore and enhance TB programs, particularly those that ensure early detection and continuous treatment.
Experts have stressed the need to transition from paper-based monitoring to faster, digital, and genotype-based diagnostic systems. Modernising TB detection and drug resistance testing will enable quicker interventions and reduce treatment delays.
A Roadmap Towards 2025 and Beyond
While the goal of eliminating TB by 2025 is ambitious, stakeholders remain optimistic. Through sustained collaboration, community-driven action, and technological innovation, India can make substantial strides. Apollo Tyres Foundation continues to stand at the forefront of this movement, not only by supporting those on the road but also by safeguarding their health and future.
With every kilometre travelled and every life touched, Apollo Tyres is helping drive India closer to its vision of a TB-free nation, where health and hope go hand in hand.
