India must step up efforts to fight the disease
A recent report by the British medical journal, lancet, has projected an alarming situation on the rise of tuberculosis (TB) cases in the country. This in many views might seem like an exaggeration. The authorities must, nevertheless, take note of the report, initiate necessary measures and not dismiss the it outright. But we must also not forget that the Government is already on the track to tackle the TB problem. Only recently it had revisited its strategy to combat the disease by setting an ambitious target to eradicate it by 2025. It had committed itself to coming up with a national policy and better funding to mitigate this air-borne danger. The lancet report should become one of the underlying reasons to formulate and execute measures. The report has pointed out to a serious problem — the spread of new cases of multidrug-resistant TB (MDR-TB) and extensively drug-resistant TB (XDR-TB) — both of which are mostly defy treatment. As per the study, by 2040, one in 10 cases of TB is expected to be multidrug-resistant. What is even more frightening is the projection that most new cases will be a result of infection, spread from people-to-people contact, rather than acquired resistance that occurs due to ineffective or lack of treatment. The case of drug-resistant TB is indeed grave given that the survival rate is just 52 per cent if treated, as against 83 per cent survival rate for drug-sensitive TB.
Despite much advancement in treatment and detection of TB, this new strain has called for the need of a renewed strategy and the development of new drugs to face the challenge. The trend, however, may not be so complicated. With medical advancements of drugs for the treatment of drug-sensitive TB, MDR-TB strains have seen a rise. With a rising number of MDR-TB cases, there has been a shift in the way people get infected with drug-resistant TB. This is why the study has projected a 12.4 per cent rise in the number of MDR-TB cases by 2040, as against the 7.9 per cent mark in 2000. Similarly, the number of XDR-TB cases is expected to rise from 0.9 per cent in 2000 to 8.9 per cent by 2040.
It may also be possible that the lancet's projection may not be entirely true and be based on flawed presumptions. Still, according to the World Health Organisation, India has the highest TB burden in the world. Just in case the projections are true, it will mean that India's TB problem is graver that what we have actually realised. We must, therefore, step up our efforts. The path to overcome TB by 2025 can happen only by knowing about the limitations; and lacunae in whatever field. We need to build up on our strategies for diagnosis and the right treatment for people who need them the most. We need the tools and funding to be ahead of the challenge. We must not just struggle to keep up; we need the best of all to treat this preventable, curable disease.