Tamil Nadu's Kasanoi Erappila Thittam (TNKET), a statewide programme designed to reduce tuberculosis-related deaths, has demonstrated a substantial decline in TB mortality following its implementation.A study conducted by researchers from a national public health research institute and the state TB programme evaluated the initiative's monitoring and evaluation framework. Published as a practice paper in BMJ Global Health on November 7, 2026, the findings reported sustained reductions in TB death rates across quarterly diagnosis cohorts beginning July 2024.

Compared with the baseline death rate of 6.3%, the rate declined to 3.9% among patients diagnosed between October and December 2024, representing a 38% reduction. Among patients diagnosed between July and September 2025, it declined further to 2.8%, corresponding to a 56% reduction.The researchers also used individual-level and…