Our History

An acronym for Resource Group for Education and Advocacy for Community Health, REACH was established in 1999 in response to the rolling out of the Revised National TB Control Program (RNTCP) in Tamil Nadu. Managed by an executive committee, REACH has been a key partner and leader in the fight against TB.

Our mandate is broad and includes support, care and treatment for TB patients as well as research, advocacy, public education and communication. We work with a range of partners including the RNTCP, local government officials, private hospitals, community-based providers and private practitioners among others.

“I recall an early brainstorming session chaired by Prof.M.S.Swaminathan, where many stakeholders had come together. The consensus was that we should support the national programme, by improving knowledge of TB services and acting as an intermediary between service providers and those who needed to access them. This was really our collective vision and the starting point for our work”.


- Dr. Nalini Krishnan, Director, REACH

Although TB is a disease that can affect anyone, REACH focuses its energies on providing support to those from poorer economic backgrounds. The rationale is simple – we believe that we must step in and provide access to information and services where there are few other options.

Please do take the time to explore this website and find out more about TB and about our work.