Taking TB seriously

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CategoryHealth

Last Updated11/09/2024

In the race to eliminate tuberculosis (TB), time is critical. The Union Health Ministry's swift decision to adopt the BPaLM regimen for drug-resistant TB, just two years after it was endorsed by the World Health Organization (WHO), marks a crucial step in this battle.
Bedaquiline, Pretomanid, Linezolid, and Moxifloxacin—the four drugs comprising the new regimen—offer a beacon of hope for patients grappling with multidrug-resistant TB (MDR-TB), which does not respond to the traditional frontline drugs isoniazid and rifampicin.

The benefits of the BPaLM regimen are substantial. It dramatically shortens treatment duration from as long as 20 months to just six months and improves quality of life.
For a country like India, which has committed to eliminating TB by 2025—five years ahead of the UN's Sustainable Development Goals—this is particularly significant.
With an estimated 75,000 patients in India suffering from drug-resistant TB, the shorter, more effective regimen could be a game-changer, improving treatment outcomes and providing relief to thousands.

India's political commitment to eradicating TB has been evident through various initiatives.
The shift from conventional testing to rapid molecular diagnostics for MDR-TB has improved case detection, treatment coverage, and success rates, while reducing mortality. The Ni-kshay Mitra scheme, which provides financial, nutritional, and social support to patients, has also been instrumental in driving down TB incidence.
According to WHO's Global TB Report 2023, India's TB incidence dropped by 16% from 2015 to 2022, almost twice the global rate of decline, with mortality falling by 18% during the same period.

Historically, India has been at the forefront of TB treatment. The Directly Observed Therapy Short-course (DOTS), introduced decades ago, revolutionized TB care by ensuring supervised drug administration.
Today, as the country strives to lead in TB eradication, the introduction of the BPaLM regimen signals a strong, proactive stance. This bold move, supported by technology and innovative treatment strategies, reinforces India’s commitment to not only keeping pace with global standards but to pioneering new methods in TB care.