Drug centres in Kovai Tambaram, Tiruchy

With the latest initiative being the launch of around 450 Gene Xpert Machines in the country, with around 31 in the state, experts are hopeful of seeing a rise in the pace of treatment. The machines have been supplied by the Central TB Division at Delhi. “The machine will help diagnose TB and drug resistance within two hours,” said State TB Officer, Dr V A Kumar. 

“These two molecular tests, which are available all over India, are part of the measures taken by the government to control the epidemic so that diagnosing will be easy and treatment can be initiate early,” said a government source. The Bedaquline drug — for the treatment of TB of Multi Drug resistance, or MDR TB as it is also known — is  now available in Tirunelveli, Tambaram, Tiruchy, Coimbatore and Thanjavur as well. “Those in and around these districts in need of treatment, can visit these centres to be administered the drug,” said the Nodal Officer. 

It may be recalled that, until two months ago, there was only one centre in the state— in Tambaram—wherein the drug was being administered. Therefore, patients who needed the drug from other parts of the state, as well as other states, would come there for the treatment. 

Another initiative to be rolled out soon, according to the Indian Council for Medical Research (ICMR), is a programme wherein patients will be given a daily regimen instead of the earlier intermittent ones. “We have planned for a shorter duration of the MDR TB drugs. Now, they need to be given for only nine to 12 months,” said an ICMR source.