• UGI USER
  • Dec 08, 2023
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REVOLUTIONIZING TB TREATMENT: SHORT REGIMENS AND HOPE

Why in the News?

  • Four ground-breaking drug regimens presented at The Union World Conference on Lung Health 2023 offer a ray of hope for drug-resistant tuberculosis (DR-TB) patients.
  • These regimens, with efficacy and safety similar to conventional treatments, slash treatment time by up to two-thirds.

About Tuberculosis (TB) :

Tuberculosis (TB) is a highly infectious bacterial disease caused by Mycobacterium tuberculosis. Primarily affecting the lungs, TB spreads through the air when an infected person coughs or sneezes.

TB in India

·   In 2021, India reported 19.33 lakh incident TB cases, up from 16.28 lakh in 2020.

·   The numbers rose to 24.22 lakh in 2022, maintaining India’s status with the highest global TB burden.

·   The National TB Elimination Programme aims to end the epidemic by 2025, surpassing the 2030 SDG target.

·   The National Strategic Plan for TB (2017-2025) outlines strategies to achieve this goal.

 
Source: Pace hospital

Decades-Long Struggle:

  • The TB care landscape, with minimal advancements in five decades, faces a transformative moment.
  • Treatment challenges stem from lengthy regimens, leading to drug toxicity, patient intolerance, and non-compliance, resulting in drug-resistant TB.

Promising Outcomes:

  • Studies show the regimens achieving favorable outcomes in 85-90% of participants for MDR/RR-TB treatment.
  • One alternative regimen demonstrates a robust response at 85.6%, providing hope for those intolerant to specific drugs.

Global Impact and the Road Ahead:

  • Over 750 participants across 11 sites and 7 countries contribute to the study, funded by Unitaid.
  • Addressing issues of access and affordability, these findings mark a
  • significant step forward in quality TB care.
  • Experts emphasize a multi-pronged approach, including innovative diagnostics, to eliminate TB globally.

The unveiling of these regimens sparks optimism and renews the fight against TB, offering a glimmer of hope for patients grappling with the challenges of prolonged treatments and drug resistance.