This document presents the findings of a modelling study that examined in detail the costs and benefits of tuberculosis (TB) screening plus TB preventive treatment (TPT) in four countries – Brazil, Georgia, Kenya and South Africa – which may serve as examples for other settings with a similar epidemiological context. …
The Health Department’s target to make the state “TB-free by 2035” seems a daunting task. About 14,000 new tuberculosis patients have been detected under the Revised National Tuberculosis Control Programme (RNTCP) in the state last year. This has revealed that there still remains a gap in the access to the …
Tuberculosis (TB) patients, who smoke, have much higher mortality rate compared to non-smokers. However, on quitting, their risk reduces substantially. Some focused studies indicate that deaths due to TB are three to four times higher among ever-smokers than never-smokers. Dr RK Sood, District Tuberculosis Officer, stated this. Out of the …
NEW DELHI (Thomson Reuters Foundation) - When Indian street-food seller Kumar Pal first began treatment for multi-drug resistant tuberculosis two years ago, he quickly spiralled into depression and gave up hope of living. Weighing just 35 kg (77 lbs), shunned by his relatives and friends and in extreme pain due …
Mumbai, the financial capital of India, has the dubious distinction of being home to the highest number of TB patients in the world. The city has a prevalence of over 50,000 tuberculosis cases. Worse, it is also the hub of multi-drug resistant (MDR) tuberculosis with as many as 28000 notified …
Over the next 35 years, multidrug-resistant tuberculosis will kill 75 million people and could cost the global economy a cumulative $16.7 trillion (£15 trillion) - the equivalent of the European Union’s annual output, a UK parliamentary group said on Tuesday. If left untackled, the spread of drug-resistant TB superbugs threatens …
As many as 10,000 persons were diagnosed with tuberculosis (TB) by private practitioners in the last one year in Tamil Nadu. The largest concentration of such persons was in northern and central regions of the State. Though private practitioners must notify a case once diagnosed, often they are hindered by …
A global phase 3 clinical trial named STAND (Shortening Treatment by Advancing Novel Drugs) in patients who are currently considered to have either drug-sensitive or multidrug-resistant TB has been launched by the TB Alliance and its partners. The Alliance announced that enrolment has begun in Kenya, South Africa, Tanzania, Uganda, …
As many as 1,000 people a day in Europe contract tuberculosis, and slow progress against the disease coupled with rising drug resistance mean the region is unlikely to defeat it until next century, health officials said on Tuesday. At current rates, the region has little chance of meeting a target …
The golden motifs and shimmering silk often eclipses the perennial risk of tuberculosis Varanasi silk weavers live with. Though considered highly vulnerable to TB, health officials do not have a clear idea of the extent of the problem. But these residents in Prime Minister Narendra Modi's parliamentary constituency will get …
A medical study conducted in Mumbai and its satellite towns of Navi Mumbai and Thane showed that youngsters formed the bulk of patients suffering from multi-drug resistant tuberculosis (MDR TB). This finding is extremely worrisome because youngsters have, given their mobility and work schedules, a greater potential of spreading the …
3 types of drugs to be tested Amid concerns around the quality of medicines being manufactured in India for domestic use and export, the government has embarked on the largest ever survey of spurious and substandard drug formulations to assess the exact scale of the problem. Health Ministry through the …
Health authorities launched an 11.5 million pounds ($17.4 million) plan on Monday to tackle Britain’s persistent tuberculosis problem, seeking to eradicate the contagious lung disease. Britain has one of the highest TB rates in western Europe, with London known as the continent’s TB capital. Rates in the United Kingdom are …
Bedaquiline is in use in US and EU against multi-drug-resistant strains With cases of Multi-Drug Resistant-Tuberculosis (MDR-TB) and extensively drug resistant TB (XDR TB) threatening the country, Bedaquiline the first anti-TB drug manufactured after Rifampicin (almost 50 years ago) has been approved for use in India. Bedaquiline is so far …
The Khyber Pakhtunkhwa cabinet in Pakistan, decided to lift the over two decades long ban on forest harvesting besides managing forests along scientific lines in line with a working plan made by the government. Read more in November 2014 edition of the Monthly Overview on State of Environment, Pakistan ENVIRONMENT …
Rapid lifestyle changes have increased the combined disease burden of diabetes and tuberculosis (TB) in rapidly urbanizing nations. The World Health Organization (WHO) and other world forums have set the alarm bells ringing for countries like India and China urging them to make a framework for tackling the crisis. The …
Assuring full immunisation coverage by 2020, the health minister on Thursday said that unvaccinated districts will be targeted in a phase wise manner. “About 201 high focus districts in the country have been identified in the first phase which have nearly 50 per cent of all unvaccinated or partially vaccinated …
India has initiated the process of formulating standardised clinical guidelines for managing extra-pulmonary tuberculosis, which occurs outside lungs. In collaboration with the Union health ministry, a team of around 50 specialists from across the country will formulate the guidelines under AIIMS’ centre of excellence for extra-pulmonary TB. According to medical …
The Federal Ministry of Health has launched the National Strategic Plan for Tuberculosis (TB) Control, 2015-2020 and the Dissemination of the First National TB Prevalence Survey Report. While delivering his keynote address at the event lately, the Supervising Minister of Health and Minister of State for Health, Khaliru Alhassan (Dr) …
Diabetes-TB May Soon Be Most Dreaded Combo For the 63 millionand-odd diabetics in India, this is worrying news: It has been proved beyond doubt that diabetes patients are three times more prone to contracting tuberculosis than those with normal sugar levels. Also, diabetes and TB make for a scary mix, …
Unmonitored intake of tuberculosis medicines could lead to acute liver failure. In last year, three cases of acute liver failure due to toxicity caused by tuberculosis medicines were received at the department of surgical gastroenterology and liver transplant in the Sir Ganga Ram Hospital here. According to Dr Abhideep Chaudhary, …
