About Us

Tuberculosis    (TB)    has  always  been   recognized  as  an  important Public    Health    problem.   The   ICMR   survey   of  1955-58   showed that  there were 4  sputum  smear  positive  cases  and 16 radiologically positive cases of pulmonary TB per 1000 population and this problem was  equally distributed in rural  and  urban  areas.  Considering the magnitude  of   the  problem,  a   need   was   felt   for  formulating  a   programme   addressing   these   issues.    Hence,   the   NATIONAL   TUBERCULOSIS  INSTITUTE was established in 1959 at Bangalore   by   the   Government  of  India,  in   the   AVALON   building   made  available    by    erstwhile   Maharaja of  Mysore.  The   technical assistance  in terms  of  Manpower,  Machinery and Equipment from World Health Organization; Vehicle & Equipments  from UNICEF were  of  great  asset  in  the  formative  years of NTI. This  institute  is a centre to formulate TB  Control  Programme   best suited  to a country like India, where the TB problem is large and the resources are meager.  The   Institute  undertook several Operational Research Studies and evolved a nationally applicable  TB Control  Programme.  Furthermore,  the  Institute also  trains the key personnel to run the programme through District TB Centers. This  nationally  evolved  TB Control Programme has been adopted by several other countries. 

Prior  to  establishment  of  NTI, most of existing knowledge of TB was confined to its clinical aspects. NTI supplemented  this clinical knowledge with Epidemiological, Sociological, Operational and Organizational studies to devise an effective programme for controlling TB in the community.

 The  NTI  is  designated  as  WHO  Collaborating  centre  for  TB  research  & training since June 1985. The activities as a collaborating centre are as follows

Organisational Chart:

Division / Unit Profile