PremiumThe minister informed that the availability of molecular diagnostics has been scaled up to 4761 machines covering all districts in the country
The incidence of TB in India has reduced by 18% from 256 per lakh population in 2015 to 210 per lakh population in 2021. At the same time, the estimates of Drug Resistant TB in India have reduced by 20% from 1.49 lakh in 2015 to 1.19 lakh in 2021, stated Union Minister of State for Health and Family Welfare, Dr. Bharati Pravin Pawar in a written reply in the Lok Sabha on Friday.
Pawar informed that the government has taken several steps to reduce the number of TB and Multidrug-resistant TB (MDR-TB) cases in the country:
“The government has developed a National Strategic Plan (2017-25) for Ending TB in the country by 2025 which focuses on early diagnosis of all the TB patients, prompt treatment with quality assured drugs and treatment regimens along with suitable patient support systems to promote adherence. Engaging with the patients seeking care in the private sector and developing prevention strategies including active case finding and contact tracing in high risk / vulnerable population," she said.
The minister informed that the availability of molecular diagnostics has been scaled up to 4761 machines covering all districts in the country. Besides this, 79 Line Probe Assay labs and 96 liquid culture testing laboratories have been established in the country for diagnosis of MDR-TB and XDR-TB.
The union health ministry is implementing universal drug susceptibility testing (UDST) under the NTEP to ensure every diagnosed TB patient is tested to rule out drug resistance before or at the time of treatment initiation itself.
“Newer drugs like Bedaquiline and Delamanid have also been made available for management of DRTB. Decentralized DR TB treatment services are offered through 162 Nodal DR-TB Centres and 614 District DR TB centres across the country," said Pawar.
On 9th September, the union health ministry launched Pradhan Mantri TB Mukt Bharat Abhiyan (PMTBMBA) for community support to TB patients with the objective to provide people with TB with additional nutritional, diagnostic and vocational support.
“Ni-kshay 2.0 portal has been developed and made available in public domain for facilitating the community to register as Ni-kshay Mitra. Guidance documents have been developed and shared with all State/UTs to implement the initiative. Periodic reviews are done to monitor the progress of the initiative at National and State/UT levels," stated Pawar.