Dr R V Asokan is currently a member of the Strategic and Technical Advisory Group (STAG) to the World Health Organisation (WHO) and of the central working committee of the Indian Medical Association (IMA). Formerly, he was IMA's National Coordinator for Tuberculosis Programme.

In 1993, WHO declared Tuberculosis (TB) a global emergency. TB mortality in India remains the highest in the world (1.9 million in 2007: WHO) despite a national TB programme, Revised National Tuberculosis Control Programme, in place since 1997. Dr. Asokan highlights how TB epidemic is underway and may go out of control if not contained in time.