• A recent modelling study conducted by researchers from London School of Hygiene & Tropical Medicine, London and Yenepoya Medical College, Mangalore; published in Lancet Global health, has evaluated the cost-effectiveness of nutritional support for TB households in conjunction with impact of the intervention on further transmission of TB.

• The study estimated that about 900,000 TB episodes and around 400,000 fatalities can be prevented if India can implement nutritional support for all household contacts of TB patients in at least 50% of families where people are undergoing treatment for tuberculosis from 2023 to 2035.

• These figures correspond to preventing 2·2% (2·1–2·4) of all TB cases and 4·6% (4·2–5·5) of all TB fatalities.

• This proposed intervention would cost the nation around Rs.15k per DALYs prevented.

• The study also estimated that on the contrary nutritional support to only the patient undergoing TB treatment can avert 46700 new cases and 234,300 TB fatalities.

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