BLK-Max Super Specialty Hospital on Wednesday announced that it has tied-up with the Central Government to treat Drug-Resistant Tuberculosis DR-TB, with newer anti-tubercular medicines, for free of cost. According to the hospital’s press statement, this newer drug is available only at Government designated centres and BLK-Max Hospital is the first one to administer this in the Delhi region.
Recently, Delhi State TB Control Office proposed to partner with BLK- Max Super Speciality Hospital to provide DR-TB treatment services to patients residing in Delhi and seeking care in private sector. The partnership will ensure that the patients seeking care in private sector also receive the diagnostic, treatment, and patient care services as per the standardised PMDT guidelines, it claimed.
“We are happy to collaborate in the national eradication program for tuberculosis by providing the latest treatments, free of cost under this initiative. Public awareness is important amongst masses, irrespective of their social strata. One needs to get the diagnosis correct and then undergo a strict treatment regime that mainly comprises of oral medication. India has seen a rise in DR-TB which is a more difficult disease to treat. New drugs available for treatment of TB drugs have a reduced treatment time of six months in comparison to the earlier 12 to 15 months course. Eradication of TB (like Polio) requires sustained efforts from both public and private healthcare systems,” said Dr Sandeep Nayar, Senior Director & HOD, BLK-Max Centre for Chest & Respiratory Diseases, BLK-Max Super Speciality Hospital in a statement.
According to the International Union against Tuberculosis and Lung Disease, one of the major concerns in eliminating the global concern of TB is India. India has the highest number of TB cases in the world.
“In 2021, India notified at least 21 Lakh TB patients, out of which around 50,000 were found to be multidrug resistant/ rifampicin resistant (MDR/RR) patients. While on the other hand, a total of 1.1 lakh TB patients with 80,000 patients were diagnosed in the public sector in Delhi alone. Delhi has a large number of urban slums, migrant population and hence a high transmission rate. It accounted for closer to 2,000 drug-resistant tuberculosis patients in the same year,” Dr Nayar added.
Union Health Ministry is planning to eradicate TB by 90 percent by 2028 and reduce mortality due to the disease by 95 per cent by 2030 under the Revised National TB Control Programme.
Tuberculosis is a major public health concern in developing nations and India accounts for over 25 % of the global burden, according to WHO. Among these TB patients, the ones who are diagnosed with drug resistant TB (DR-TB) have the worst outcomes and can transmit the infection to their household members and the community.
