The Ministry of Health and Family Welfare approved a new BPaLM regimen consisting of four drugs Bedaquiline, Pretomanid, Linezolid and Moxifloxacin — has proven to be a safe, more effective and quicker treatment option than previous procedures.
- Earlier, Pretomanid has been approved & licensed for use in India by CDSCO.
- It brings down treatment time to 6 months from the earlier duration of 20 months.
- BPaLM regimen was introduced under National TB Elimination Programme and expected to boost the country’s progress to achieve its national goal of ending TB in India by 2025.
About Tuberculosis
- An infectious disease that most often affects lungs and is caused by bacillus Mycobacterium tuberculosis bacteria.
- Bacillle Calmette-Guerin (BCG) vaccine provides immunity against TB.
Types of Drug – Resistant TBÂ
- Multidrug Resistance TB (MDR) : Resistant to Isoniazid and Rifampin
- Extensively drug Resistance tuberculosis TB (XDR-TB)
Resistant to Isoniazid and Rifampin plus any fluoroquinolone and at least one of three injectable second-line drugs (amikacin, kanamycin, or capreomycin)
- Totally drug-resistant tuberculosis (TDR-TB)
Resistant to all first- and second-line TB drugs.
Other Initiatives taken for Tuberculosis EradicationÂ
- Pradhan Mantri TB Mukt Bharat Abhiyan – provides additional patient support, augment community involvement.
- Ni-kshay Mitra ensures additional diagnostic, nutritional, support to those on TB treatment.
- Nikshay Poshan Yojana provides financial support to TB patients for their nutrition.
