National Tuberculosis Elimination Programme (NTEP) is a centrally sponsored scheme being implemented under the aegis of National Health Mission with resource sharing between the State Governments and Central Governments.

National Strategic plan (2017-2025) advocates early identification or presumptive tuberculosis (TB) Patients, at the first point of care, be it in Public or private sectors, and prompt diagnosis using high sensitivity diagnostic tests to provide universal access to quality TB diagnosis including drug resistance TB (DR-TB) in the country.

NTEP initiated transition to replace smear microscopy with upfront molecular testing using NAAT (Nucleic acid amplification test) for TB diagnostics centers (TDCs).

Regular Monitoring and review of the programme interventions are an essential component to control the disease. Supervision and monitoring activities are pivotal in ensuring quality services delivery for achieving the vision of TB Free India by 2025.

Quality Assurance of Laboratory Services – The programme has a very well-established quality assurance (QA) mechanism which is in line with the WHO system of Hierarchical control from the highest level of NRLs to State IRLS, to the District/sub district level and then DMCs at the most peripheral level. The QA has all elements of internal quality control, on-stie evaluation and external quality control (EQA).

EQA for NAAT (GeneXpert & Truenat) is conducted using Dried Tube Specimen (DTS) for public as well as Private Sector laboratories through proficiency testing (PT) exercise which is conducted annually for laboratories to assess the quality of TB diagnosis and its drug resistance.