Having achieved global objectives of new case-detection of 70 per cent and treatment success rate of 85 per cent for the last three consecutive years, the Revised National Tuberculosis Control Programme (RNTCP) has announced its new objective of universal access to quality TB care for all TB patients. Under the new objective the intermediate target is to detect 90 per cent of all TB cases and successfully treat 90 per cent of them by 2015.

This marks a change in focus from treatment under the previous benchmark. Under universal access, all TB patients in the community, including vulnerable and marginalised persons, will have access to early, good quality diagnosis and treatment services.

Apart from this, today on the occasion of World TB Day on March 24 the RNTCP also launched the new DOTS logo that will be in use from World TB Day 2011.