INDIA’S TUBERCULOSIS CHALLENGE: SHORTER TREATMENT SOLUTIONS
Issue:
- Current TB treatment involves a lengthy six-month regimen with potential side effects.
- Paediatric patients face difficulties with tablet size and taste, leading to non-compliance.
- Discontinuation risks drug resistance, impacting families and close contacts.
- Shorter Treatment Regimens is proposed as a Solution.
Data/ Facts:
- India accounts for 27% of global TB cases, posing a significant health challenge.
- National Tuberculosis Elimination Programme (NTEP) treated 17.14 million people in the last decade.
- India’s has ambitious goal to eliminate TB by 2025.
What is Short Treatment Regimens?
- Its a method of treatment of TB in less than 6 months using the desired combination of drugs in standard doses.
- Trials are undergoing in India for such Treatment.
About Tuberculosis (TB)
· Tuberculosis (TB) is a global infectious disease. · Caused by the bacterium Mycobacterium tuberculosis. · Primarily affects the lungs but can impact other organs. · Spreads through the air when an infected person coughs or sneezes. · Symptoms include persistent cough, weight loss, and fatigue. · Treatable with antibiotics, but drug-resistant strains pose challenges. |