Govt to launch medicine for drug-resistant TB today

Tribune News Service

Patiala, July 15

In an effort to eradicate TB in the state, the Punjab Government will launch an “exclusive” drug. 

In fact, to tackle the drug-resistant tuberculosis, Bedaquiline, an antitubercular agent for the treatment of the disease will be launched here on Monday. 

Currently, there are 22,000 patients in the state, who are on directly observed treatment (DOT) therapy. Of them, 400 patients are afflicted with drug-resistant TB. Bedaquiline, a third generation medicine, is exclusively used for the extremely drug-resistant tuberculosis (XDRTB) cases. 

However, Bedaquiline is said to have a lot of side effects. Therefore, out of 400, only 77 patients are deemed medically fit for administering the drug. In the first phase, 22 patients from TB Hospital, Patiala, will be put on the medicine for the treatment. Health and Family Welfare Minister Brahm Mohindra told The Tribune that: “With the launch of this highly-effective drug, we are inching closer to eradicating TB from the state by 2022 — three years ahead of the national target of 2025.” 

Before this, the use of  the “wonder” drug — Bedaquiline — has been launched in five cities only — Delhi, Mumbai, Chennai, Guwahati, and Ahmedabad

It is pertinent to mention that one Bedaquiline tablet costs Rs 5,000. Moreover, each patient is given around 188 tablets to complete the treatment course. However, the Punjab Government will be giving it for free to extremely drug-resistant patients. 

After Patiala, the state Health Department will launch the drug at Government Medical College, Amritsar, and GGS Medical College, Faridkot. 

About the drug

• Bedaquiline is a medication used to treat active tuberculosis. It is specifically used to treat multi-drug-resistant tuberculosis (MDR-TB) when other treatment cannot be used.
• Professor Vishal Chopra, Chest and TB Hospital Patiala, said: “The drug is used in combination with other drugs to treat pulmonary TB in adults when they have MDR-TB. Studies have shown that after 24 weeks, 79 per cent of the patients given bedaquiline were sputum smear negative.”

Vital facts

• 22,000 patients across Punjab
• 400 suffer from drug-resistant TB
• 77 TB patients to be administered the new drug 
• Each tablet costs Rs 5,000 
• Total tablets for each patient: 188
• As per the National Anti-TB Drug Resistance Survey, there are 2,666 cases of extensively drug-resistant (XDR) TB in India. In 2017 and 2018, 27, 959 cases of TB were reported in the country.