US enters into TB control pact with WHO in India

[Guest guest]

US enters into TB control pact with WHO in India

Posted on : Tue, 26 Sep 2006 16:42:00 GMT | Author : Booth

News Category : Health

NEW DELHI - The United States and the World Health Organization

(WHO) have entered into a pact for controlling the spread of

tuberculosis in India. A US Embassy press release said that it would

be donating $4.17 million to the WHO in order to implement the

various TB control programs at state level.

US Ambassador C Mulford and the WHO Representative to India,

Salim Habayeb inked the agreement in the capital today. Elaborating

on the deal, Mulford said in a statement, " Our government supports

tuberculosis control in India because of the enormous public health

impact and economic burden of the disease. Each day a thousand

patients die of the disease. "

Tuberculosis claims almost 400,000 lives in India annually. The

infectious disease could be controlled early if it is detected in

the initial stages. Tuberculosis primarily involves lungs, but can

also affect various other body parts like bone and spine. In India

lung infection is more prevalent. The disease begins as a cough and

eventually destabilizes the lungs. It spreads from person to person

via droplets. The prevalence of HIV makes the disease more lethal,

according to recent research.

" More than 300,000 children leave school every year because a parent

is suffering from TB. The disease costs 3 billion US dollars per

year and hampers economic development, " Mulford observed today.

Habayeb said the funds would be used to carry out local research and

also implement TB control programmes in Haryana. " We have to tackle

the emerging challenges. There is a deadly nexus between TB and

HIV/AIDS. We are confident that this fruitful partnership would help

in meeting these challenges, " he added.

http://www.earthtimes.org/articles/show/8994.html

[Guest guest]

Dear all,

Hello!, this is regarding US entering TB control pact with WHO in India. We

have miliions dying of this one of the oldest disease known to mankind.

With the theraputic wepons available, this mortality and morbidity should have

been under total control. But that is not the case.The National TB control

program (RNTCP) provides DOTS / directly observed Therapy. The Formulations

available for category 1-3 have fixed dose combinations. If the patient happens

to be below 12 years or if adult patient is cachexic with a weight of say 25 -35

kg,(which often is the case) the same fixed dose combination becomes difficult

to administer due to the likely toxicities it might produce.

Many such patients fall out out of RNTCP's DOT and are forced to buy medicines

from open market.why can't these centers make such combinations available where

the dose titration is possible as per the weight of the patient? It is

definitely not impossible for the government to buy these Anti TB drugs from the

Pharma companies in bulk and provide them free under RNTCP. Many a deserving

poor T.B. patients will be able to, thus, save their lives.

Now with US entering may be the govenment will have better financial back up.

The authorities must look into the matter seriosly and TAKE immediate steps in

this direction.

Dr. Divya

e-mail: <d_mithel@...>

[Guest guest]

Dear Friends,

I feel, the patients requiring ATT's and ARV's at times for reasons of

annonymity, stigma and lack of faith do not want to accept DOT or ARV's from

Governament run agencies. This is the problem.

The solution is why not trust The local practitioner or family doctors of the

victims and give meds through them.At the most few spills will be there because

of cheating on part of practitioners,still many will benefit too. A parallel can

be drawn from giving IUD's to PP's in national FW programme few years ago.

Thanks for reading the suggestion. Will someone who matters will be told by

someone- Is Sujatha Rao listening ?

Dr.Rakesh Bharti,

Bharti Derma Care and Research center,

27-D,Sant Avenue,The Mall,

Amritsar143001,Punjab INDIA

Email-rakesh.bharti1@...