Update on NTEP

A recent ICMR study under its i‑DRONE initiative evaluated drone‑assisted transport of tuberculosis sputum samples in Yadadri‑Bhuvanagiri district, Telangana, in partnership with AIIMS Bibinagar and the National TB Elimination Programme (NTEP). The median turnaround time for diagnosis fell from 15 days to 5 days, and the mean out‑of‑pocket cost for patients dropped from approximately ₹9,451 to ₹91. The Union Minister of State for Health and Family Welfare, Smt. Anupriya Patel, conveyed these findings in a written reply in the Rajya Sabha.