New TB Treatment Regimen & Made-in-India TB Diagnostics:

A shorter and more efficacious treatment regimen is now available for use under the National TB Elimination Programme (NTEP) which would help in reducing the treatment duration from 9-12 months to 6 months. It has been validated along with Health Technology Assessment (HTA) by ICMR. Shri Nadda informed that the Union Health Ministry in consultation with the State/UT governments is preparing a detailed rollout plan for logistics and training of health professionals for the introduction of this new regimen early next year. He also highlighted the expected reduction in duration of the treatment regimen in approximately 75,000 DRTB cases across the country.

In order to ensure country wide coverage for TB and Drug Resistance diagnosis by ‘state of the art’ molecular methods, a new indigenous diagnostic system (Patho detect) has been validated by ICMR, along with field feasibility. Shri Nadda stated that it would lead to reduction in turn-around times for test results, thereby reducing morbidity and mortality of TB patients