Activist write to pm highlighting shortage of vital anti-TB drug
- March 24, 2024
- Posted by: OptimizeIAS Team
- Category: DPN Topics
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Activist write to pm highlighting shortage of vital anti-TB drug
Subject: Science and tech
Section: Health
About the news:Activist, Public health experts and survivors wrote a letter PM ahead of World tuberculosis day (24th March) request urgent intervention to address the shortage of Anti-TB Drug
- Letter also highlight shortage of drug essential for treating drug sensitive (DS-TB)
- Till february shortage of 1st line Drug Isoniazid, Rifampicin, Pyrazinamide, Ethambutol drugs
Why Shortage of Drug: Unavailability due to lack of demand in the open market
How Shortage will Impact India:
- Highest burden of TB in the world and shortage of critically required drug affects to treat patient
- According to Nationally TB Elimination Program (NTEP) uninterrupted supply of quality drug is essential for Directly observed Therapy Short Course (DOTS)
- Inadequate access to quality TB Drug may cause emergence of Drug Resistance variety of TB strain which is very difficult and costly to treat
- This Shortage Poses a significant risk to the survivor of Multidrug Resistant TB
- Affects treatment outcomes like India pledge to eliminate TB by 2025
TB Burden of India as per global TB report 2023:
- Highest burden of TB in the world 2.8 million that is 27% of TB burden
- Case fatality ratio 12% (out of 100 TB cases 12 case resulted into death)
- India having 1.1 lakh of Multidrug TB (MDR-TB)
Step Taken by India to tackle TB problem:
- PM TB Mukt Bharat Abhiyaan: To bring together all community stakeholder to support those on TB treatment and accelerate the country progress towards TB elimination
- New Drug like Bedaquiline and Delamanid made available for treatment of Drug resistant TB
- National TB Control Program: Anti-TB Drug are procured and supplied to various states and then distributes to various states
- Nikshay Poshan: Direct benefit transfer of Rs 500 to TB patient/month for nutrition
- Universal drug susceptibility test to ensure every diagnosed TB patient is tested to ruled out drug resistance
Different Type of TB
- Multidrug Resistance TB (MDR-TB) : TB which is resistance to 1st line anti-TB drug, it is developed when course of antibiotics is interrupted and can be treated with second line antibiotics Drug
- Extensive Drug Resistance TB (XDR-TB):Caused by strain that is resistance to both firstline and second line antibiotics
- Totally Drug Resistant TB (TDR-TB):It is a form of Tuberculosis which is resistant to all currently used drug