The Union Health Ministry approved the introduction of a new treatment regimen (BPaLM regimen) for multi-drug-resistant tuberculosis in India.
About Multi-Drug-Resistant TB (MDR-TB) MDR-TB
- Multi-Drug-Resistant Tuberculosis (MDR-TB) MDR-TB: It occurs when Mycobacterium tuberculosis, the bacteria that cause TB, become resistant to at least isoniazid and rifampicin, the two most potent TB drugs.
- Causes:
- Inappropriate or incorrect use of antimicrobial drugs, or
- premature treatment interruption can cause drug resistance, which can then be transmitted, especially in crowded settings such as prisons and hospitals or Using antibiotics in livestock farming etc.
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New Treatment Regimen For Multidrug-Resistant TB
- New BPaLM Regimen: This 6-month all-oral treatment regimen comprises bedaquiline, pretomanid, linezolid, and moxifloxacin.
- It has been introduced under the National TB Elimination Programme for eliminating the disease under the Sustainable Development Goals.
- Benefits:
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- Higher efficacy: Recent data show this regimen’s higher efficacy and better compliance, with only three to four tablets daily and a six-month treatment duration.
- Minimal Side effects: It has minimal side effects and boasts a success rate of 89%, compared to the 68% success rate reported in India’s 2023 TB Report.
(NTEP)
- Objective: To eliminate TB in India by 2025.
- Earlier , it was known as Revised National Tuberculosis Control Programme (RNTCP).
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- Economic impact: An additional advantage is its economic impact that Potential savings of 40%-90% on current treatment costs, with a projected global annual saving of 6,180 crore.
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India TB Report 2024: Key Statistics
- Notified TB patients: 25.52 lakh TB patients in 2023 (increase from 24.22 lakh cases in 2022).
- Reporting of cases: ~67% reporting being done by the public sector and ~33%) from private sector.
- Treatment Success rate among notified Drug-Resistant TB (DR-TB): 65%
- Increase in Estimated incidence: The estimated incidence of TB in 2023 increased slightly to 27.8 lakh from the previous year’s estimate of 27.4 lakh.
- Mortality Rate: The mortality due to the infection remained the same at 3.2 lakh as per the data.
- India specific data: India reached its 2023 target of initiating treatment in 95% of patients diagnosed with the infection.
- It says 58% of those diagnosed were offered a test to check whether their infection was resistant to the first line drugs, an increase from 25% in 2015.
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7 Sep 2024
