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.