Dr. Harsh Vardhan, India’s Union Minister for Health and Family Welfare has recently been appointed as the Chairman of the Stop TB Partnership Board, marking a significant step in India’s fight against Tuberculosis (TB). He will commence his three-year term in July 2021.
The Stop TB Partnership Board and its Achievements
The Stop TB Partnership Board came into existence in 2001 with the primary goal of eradicating Tuberculosis as a public health issue. The organization found its roots at the Ad Hoc Committee on the Tuberculosis Epidemic meeting held in London during March 1998. The Amsterdam Declaration issued by the Stop TB partnership in its initial year garnered support from ministerial delegations from 20 countries which bear the highest burden of TB, proposing collaborative action to combat TB.
In 2019, the Stop TB Partnership launched an updated Global Plan to End TB for the years 2018-2022. To celebrate and encourage significant contributions towards the fight against TB, the Kochon Prize is awarded annually by the Partnership. Funded by the Kochon Foundation, a non-profit foundation based in Korea, the winner receives a USD 65,000 award. The secretariat of the organization is situated in Geneva, Switzerland.
Global and Indian Scenario of TB
According to the Global Tuberculosis Report released by WHO, eight countries including India, Indonesia, China, the Philippines, Pakistan, Nigeria, Bangladesh, and South Africa accounted for two-thirds of new TB cases in 2019. India tops the list with an estimated 2.64 million TB patients, the largest burden globally concerning absolute numbers. However, India has remained conservative in its approach towards new medicines for Drug Resistant TB as highlighted by the “Step Up for TB 2020” report, putting patient lives, including children, at risk.
India’s Commitment Towards TB Eradication
India has committed to counteract the threat of TB by aiming for its eradication by 2025, which is five years ahead of the global target. The National Strategy Plan for TB Elimination 2017-2025 emphasizes four strategic areas; detect, treat, prevent, and build. The plan also focuses on the inclusion of the private sector and prioritises key populations. Initiatives such as the TB Harega Desh Jeetega Campaign, Nikshay Poshan Yojana etc., have also been launched in pursuit of this goal.
About Tuberculosis
Tuberculosis is a bacterial disease (Mycobacterium tuberculosis) affecting primarily the lungs. The disease spreads through the air when a person with lung TB coughs, sneezes or spits. Symptoms include coughing with sputum, sometimes streaked with blood, chest pains, weakness, weight loss, fever and night sweats.
Treatment and Cure
TB is a curable disease, treated with a standard 6-month course of 4 antimicrobial drugs, provided with necessary information, supervision, and support from health professionals or trained volunteers. Multidrug-resistant TB (MDR-TB) is a form of TB caused by bacteria that do not respond to isoniazid and rifampicin, the two most potent, first-line anti-TB drugs. However, MDR-TB can be treated and cured using second-line drugs. Extensively drug-resistant TB (XDR TB) is a rare type of MDR TB resistant to first-line drugs as well as certain second-line drugs. Treatment options for XDR TB are complex and challenging but remains possible with timely diagnosis and treatment.
