New Delhi, 16 December 2019: The TB Quest Awards for path-breaking innovations towards eliminating tuberculosis, were given at a function hosted by the India Health Fund (IHF) and supported by the Global Coalition against TB in the Capital recently. The Guests of Honour present at the occasion were Dr Kirit Solanki, Member of Parliament, Mr Dalbir Singh, President Global Coalition Against TB, Dr Henk Bekedam, WHO Representative to India, and Dr K S Sachdeva, Deputy Director General, Revised National Tuberculosis Control Program (RNTCP) Government of India.
IHF initiated the Quest for Innovations towards Eliminating Tuberculosis (TB Quest) Awards to acknowledge and foreground entrepreneurs and innovators to scale-up innovative platforms and practices focused on crucial areas that require attention. These include bringing ‘missing’ TB patients within the purview of care; screening and appropriate management for Latent TB Infection (LTBI) among all identified high-risk population groups in India; infection control in settings such as health care facilities, crowded habitations where transmission is high and helping to bridge gaps in the supply chain of anti-TB drugs and consumables in the public and private sectors.
Dr Henk Bekedam, WHO Representative to India in his address stated, “Research and innovation are one of the three pillars of WHO End TB Strategy, besides integrated, patient-centred care and prevention that puts patients at the heart of service delivery and bold policies and supportive systems that requires intense participation across government, communities and private stakeholders." 
“India Health Fund is a welcome step to create an in-country, platform for innovation and research. These innovations strengthen the hope that India will definitely win the fight against TB”, he further added.
Mr Dalbir Singh, President Global Coalition Against TB said, “TB is the gravest public health challenge we face today, and it affects a country’s economy and productivity. Our coalition is at the forefront of political advocacy in India, and now we all need to come together, continue the strategic vision, step up R and D and innovate.”
TB has been a long-standing health challenge for India, accounting for nearly 4 lakh deaths annually. With over 21 lakh TB cases reported in the India TB Report 2019, the country accounts for 27 percent of the global TB burden. The Government of India has set a target of eliminating TB by 2025, a vision that demands innovative ideas, bold approaches, and unprecedented investments by stakeholders across the board.
TB Quest would not only help to transform the key aspects of a TB Care Ecosystem but greatly contribute towards the government's initiatives in the fight against TB by providing them with the prerequisite science and technology innovations to do the same efficiently.