TB CASES SEE DECREASE IN INDIA

Prelims level : Governance- Health Mains level : GS-II- Issues relating to development and management of Social Sector/Services relating to Health
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Why in news?

  • World Health Organization (WHO) has released the 2019 edition of the Global Tuberculosis (TB) Report.

Global Tuberculosis (TB) Report:

  • The report provides a comprehensive and up-to-date assessment of the TB epidemic and progress in the response at global, regional and country levels for India.
  • It also features data on disease trends and the response to the epidemic in 202 countries and territories.
  • This includes trends in TB incidence and mortality, data on case detection and treatment results for TB, multidrug-resistant TB (MDR-TB), TB/HIV, TB prevention, universal health coverage as well as financing
  • The tuberculosis incidence rate in India has decreased by almost 50,000 patients over the past one year, according to the Report.
  • The treatment success rate has increased to 81% for new and relapse cases (drug-sensitive) in 2017, which was 69% in 2016.
  • In India, of the estimated 2.69 million TB cases emerging in 2018, 2.15 million were reported to the Government of India — leaving a gap of 5,40,000 patients who are going unreported.
  • The India TB-Report 2019 notes that India is closest ever to covering all TB cases through the online notification system (NIKSHAY).

Key challenges to restrict the spread of TB:

  • There is no initial categorization of patients. The Category of TB that a patient is suffering from is not checked in the beginning and the first-line treatment is given which is useless for MDR cases thereby worsening the situation.
  • TB treatment should be on a daily basis however alternate day treatment leaves the programme ineffective.
  • There is poor monitoring of the fact whether the patient is regularly taking the doses or not. This is often wrongly reported.
  • Actual number of cases reported in the National Register for TB is far less than the number of patients actually affected and hence the disease, being contagious, keeps on spreading.
  • Demand and supply gap of the drugs is quite wide. Specific drugs are rather expensive, especially for the rural masses. There is lack of research and research-related funding towards patient-specific drugs.
  • The TB Programme continues to face the challenge of under-reporting of cases from the private sector, which caters to a majority of cases.
  • There is a poor sense of awareness and responsibility on the patient’s part to complete the TB course.

 

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