Stepping up efforts towards building a TB free India

March 23, 2018
Stepping up efforts towards building a TB free India

24thMarch 2018: World Tuberculosis Day

Theme: ‘Wanted: Leaders for a TB-free World’

New Delhi, March 23, 2018: Despite progress over the last decades, TB continues to be the top infectious killer worldwide, claiming over 4 500 lives a day. The emergence of multidrug-resistant TB (MDR-TB) poses a major health security threat and could risk gains made in the fight against TB.Every year, on 24th March 2018World Tuberculosis Day is observed with the objective of spreading awareness about the disease. This year the theme, ‘Wanted: Leaders for a TB – free world’ which places emphasis on enabling all stakeholders to build strategies and programmes which are committed to ending tuberculosis.

According to the WHO, tuberculosis accounts for 95% of the deaths that occur in low and middle income countries. Seven countries account for 64% of the total, with India in the lead (Global TB Report 2017), followed by Indonesia, China, Philippines, Pakistan, Nigeria, and South Africa. In India, an estimated 27.9 lakh patients were suffering from TB and up to 4.23 lakh patients were estimated to have died during the year (2016).

Dr Amitabh Parti, Additional Director, Internal Medicine, Fortis Memorial Research Institute, gives below important steps on how to recognize, manage and treat TB effectively:

 Early Stage Symptoms:

  • A persistent cough for over 3 weeks with or without streaks of blood
  • Persistent low grade fever with night sweats
  • Unexplained weight loss and weakness

 Later Stage Symptoms:

  • Progressive drowsiness
  • Shortness of breath
  • Falling urine output
  • Deteriorating hemoglobin
  • Excessive and frequent bleeding

Tests to detect TB:

  • Simple tests such as a chest  X-Ray
  • Sputum test for AFB (acid fast bacilli)
  • Histopathological tissue diagnosis from biopsy samples of the tissues affected
  • A molecular test – the CB-NAAT has been introduced, for which the Government of India has established 600 laboratories around the country
  • In high suspicion casesn an ESR and a montoux skin test can be used

 Treatment Options:

  • Continuous therapy of six months – Four drugs for the first two months and then three drugs for the rest of the four months. However when TB is multi drug resistant or it affects the brain or bones, the duration can be extended up to 12 to 18 months.
  • The DOTS (Directly Observed Treatment Short Course) programme of tuberculosis which is a supervised intermittent therapy – recommended by the WHO in which a healthcare worker ensures medicine supplies and compliance of the patient in consuming the medicine and completing the full schedule of therapy.

 Preventing TB:

  • Ensuring mandatoryadministration of the BCG vaccine at birth.
  • Maintenance of adequate immunity especially in the elderly, diabetics, HIV positive or immunocompromised patients by adequate control of underlying disease, exercise and nutrition.
  • Barrier Nursing should be practiced and a face mask should be worn by all patients who are sputum AFB positive.
  • For couples intending to start a family, it is advisable to complete the schedule of 6 months therapy in order to conceive a healthy baby.

Understanding Multi – Drug Resistant TB:

  • Failure to respond to conventional therapy despite more than 6 weeks of treatment with resistance to 2 or more drugs is indicative of MRD TB
  • Incidence of MRD TB is rising due to patients defaulting schedule of treatment.
  • AFB culture and Gen – expert tests are performed to detect resistance.
  • An inadequately managed MDR TB leads to extensively drug resistant TB – XDR TB.

The Government of India has also taken some proactive steps to“End-TB by 2025”under the ‘Revised National Tuberculosis Control Programme’.In order to reduce the pill burden, a daily treatment regimen consisting of a fixed dose combination has been established. Universal drug susceptibility testing for drug resistance in all TB diagnosed patients will also be done to determine a more appropriate course of treatment. Newer drugs will be introduced in hospitals and other centres of care. There will be an allocation of additional funds for TB patients – Rs. 500 per month as nutritional support during the course of treatment. Several digital initiatives would also be created for the seamless integration of TB related services.

 

Stay informed with the latest news from HealthySoch. Sign up today for exclusive insights and updates!

We promise we never spam!

Leave a Reply

Your email address will not be published.

Health Tips

Dr. T S Kler Padma Bhushan Awardee
MD, DM, MRCP, FRCP(U.K), FACC, D.Sc
Chairman – Fortis Heart Institute Gurugram

Precautions to avoid Corona Virus:

  1. Stay home as far as possible.
  2. Wash hands with soap and water frequently.
  3. Keep distance from people even your home members.
  4. Keep atleast 1-2 metres away from anybody coughing.
  5. Don’t touch your face, nose and mouth.

 

Dr. K.K Says

Archives

MonTueWedThuFriSatSun
    123
45678910
18192021222324
25262728293031
       
   1234
567891011
12131415161718
26272829   
       
891011121314
293031    
       
    123
45678910
11121314151617
25262728293031
       
  12345
6789101112
13141516171819
27282930   
       
      1
2345678
9101112131415
16171819202122
3031     
     12
17181920212223
24252627282930
31      
   1234
567891011
12131415161718
2627282930  
       
1234567
891011121314
22232425262728
293031    
       
     12
3456789
17181920212223
24252627282930
       
  12345
6789101112
       
  12345
13141516171819
2728     
       
      1
9101112131415
3031     
   1234
567891011
       
282930    
       
    123
45678910
       
  12345
27282930   
       
      1
3031     
    123
11121314151617
       
28      
       
2930     
       
    123
       
       
       
      1
9101112131415
3031     
     12
3456789
10111213141516
17181920212223
242526272829 
       
  12345
13141516171819
2728293031  
       
      1
23242526272829
3031     
    123
       
    123
25262728   
       
78910111213
28293031   
       
293031    
       
14151617181920
28293031   
       
   1234
567891011
       
   1234
567891011
262728    
       
891011121314
293031    
       
    123
18192021222324
25262728293031
       
  12345
27282930   
       
      1
2345678
16171819202122
3031     
    123
45678910
18192021222324
       
28293031   
       
     12
31      
   1234
       
  12345
6789101112
       
HealthySoch

Don't Miss

Uneven access to health services drives life expectancy gaps: WHO

World Health Statistics Report 2019 healthysoch Geneva, April 04, 2019

Variety and moderation in diet are key to a healthy body and mind

Poor diet has overtaken smoking as the world’s biggest killer