IJCM₂56A: Trend in Tuberculosis Notification in Solapur district: Analysis from 2015 to 2022

Background: India contributes approximately 25% of the missing cases of tuberculosis (TB) globally. Even though ~50% of patients with TB are diagnosed and treated within India’s private sector, few are notified to the public healthcare system. India’s TB notification policy mandates that all patients with TB are notified through Nikshay (TB notification portal). We undertook this study to assess how mandatory notification has influenced the number of TB cases reported in the Nikshay portal from the private sector from Solapur district between 2015 and 2022. Objective: To evaluate the contribution of mandatory notification in enhancing TB notification in Solapur district between 2015 and 2022. Methodology: This study employed a quantitative observational approach, using record-based data extracted from the laboratory register and the Nikshay portal. The analysis period spanned from 2015 to 2022, allowing for an in- depth evaluation of TB notification trends before and after the implementation of the mandatory notification policy in 2018. Data was compiled and analysed using MS-Excel. Frequencies, means, and proportions used to effectively describe tuberculosis (TB) case notifications in both the private and public sectors were used. Results: Between 2015 and 2022, Solapur district experienced a variable but overall increasing trend in TB notification rates. In 2015, the TB notification rate was 58.15 per 100,000 population, which increased to 90.69 by 2022. The annual presumptive TB examination rates showed significant growth over the years. In 2015, the rate was 628 per 100,000 population, which escalated to 1965 by 2022. Conclusion: This rise is indicative of enhanced TB case detection, especially after the implementation of the mandatory notification policy and increase in presumptive TB examination rates is attributed to the rising use of advanced diagnostic methods such as CBNAAT and TrueNAT.