It develops slowly at the intersection of impoverishment, precarious livelihoods, and fragile health systems. Each stage represents a point where effective public health systems could intervene. TB can no longer be framed only as a disease of the poor; it is increasingly an urban public health challenge. They reflect wider structural problems in India’s urban health landscape. Aruna Bhattacharya is a medical anthropologist and public health expert specialising in urban health systems.

Source: The Hindu April 07, 2026 12:23 UTC