Battling TB in speed mode

  • July 24, 2023
  • Posted by: OptimizeIAS Team
  • Category: DPN Topics
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Battling TB in speed mode

Subject: Science and technology

Section: health

Why in the news?

  • Recent research by the Department of Community Medicine and Family Medicine, All India Institute of Medical Sciences, Bhubaneswar, suggests that the country stands a chance of eliminating it by 2025,five years ahead of the global target.

Tuberculosis (TB) eradication program:

  • The National Tuberculosis Programme (NTP) was launched in 1962, and the National Tuberculosis Elimination Programme (NTEP) was established in 2020 with the stated aim of  eradicating TB from the country.
  • India accounts for a quarter of tuberculosis cases worldwide.
  • There are multiple challenges that include:
    • Insufficient budget,
    • inadequate diagnostic facilities,
    • Under­reporting,
    • low success rate,
    • high dropout rate,
    • social stigma.
  • Shortage of  funds hinders the adoption of comprehensive strategies, and the expansion of diagnostic facilities and treatment options.
  • The WHO (World Health Organisation) has launched a joint initiative“Find. Treat. All. EndTB” with the Global Fund and Stop TB Partnership.
  • WHO also releases the Global Tuberculosis Report.

EARLY DETECTION:

  • Enhanced diagnostic capability is another key aspect of the battle against TB.
  • It is essential to equip healthcare facilities with advanced diagnostic technologies to  accurately detect TB and determine drug resistance.
  • Newer tools such as the Gene Xpert MTB/ RIF assay and MERM (medical event reminder monitor) can revolutionise TB  diagnosis and choice of treatment.
  • Early detection of the disease is vital for higher success rates.

SOCIAL FACTORS:

  • TB has two forms:
  1. pulmonary (affecting the lungs) and
  2. Extra­pulmonary (it can affect any part of the body, making diagnosis challenging).
  • There is a need to address the social, economic, cultural, and nutritional vulnerabilities in the fight against tuberculosis.
  • Factors such as overcrowding, migration, social stigma, and poor nutritional status contribute to the spread and persistence of the disease.
  • To prevent tuberculosis, focusing on the overall health and immune system is essential.
  • Dietary tips include incorporating a variety of fruits and vegetables, opting for whole grains, including pulses and legumes, consuming dairy products, and staying hydrated with traditional beverages.

PRIVATE SECTOR:

  • India’s TB treatment is not centralised as it is not uniform.
  • Nearly 50 percent of TB patients are diagnosed in the private sector and the rest by the government sector.
  • Although the private sector reporting of tuberculosis has gone up from 4 per cent to 25 percent, there is a huge gap due to underreporting.
  • An added challenge is TB’s co­infection with diseases like HIV and diabetes. Integrating TB services with existing health programmes can optimise resources and improve outcomes for those with dual burdens.

About the Stop TB Partnership Board:

  • It was established in 2001 and is mandated to eliminate Tuberculosis as a public health problem.
  • The organisation was conceived following the meeting of the First Session of the Ad Hoc Committee on the Tuberculosis Epidemic held in London in March 1998.
  • In its inaugural year itself, the Stop TB Partnership through the Amsterdam Declaration gave a call for collaborative action from ministerial delegations from 20 countries that bear the highest burden of TB.
  • In 2019, it launched the updated Global Plan to End TB 2018-2022.
  • The Kochon Prize is awarded annually by Stop TB Partnership to individuals and/or organizations that have made a significant contribution to combating TB.
    • The Kochon Prize, which is endowed by the Kochon Foundation, a non-profit foundation registered in the Republic of Korea, consists of a USD 65,000 award.
  • Its secretariat is based at Geneva, Switzerland.

Initiatives by the government for TB eradication:

  • National Strategic Plan for Tuberculosis Elimination 2017-2025
  • National Tuberculosis Elimination Program (NTEP)- Centrally Sponsored Scheme
  • TB Harega Desh Jeetega Campaign
  • Bacillus Calmette–Guérin (BCG) vaccine included in the Indradhanush program.
  • National TB Elimination Programme to meet the goal of ending the TB epidemic by 2025 the country, five years ahead of the Sustainable Development Goals (SDG) for 2030
  • Two vaccines VPM (Vaccine Projekt Management) 1002 and MIP (Mycobacterium Indicus Pranii) have been developed and are under Phase-3 clinical trial.
  • Ni-kshay Poshan Yojana: It provides Rs 500 support through direct benefit transfer to the patients.
  • The government has also focused on utilising technology and creating digital health IDs for TB patients under the Ayushman Bharat Digital Health Mission to ensure proper diagnostics and treatment are available.
Battling TB in speed mode Science and tech