Discontinuation of treatment by MDR TB cases can be fatal

By: Jagmeet Y. Ghuman

SOLAN: The discontinuation of medical treatment by Multi Drug Resistant (MDR) TB patients can prove a major health hazard for society. Observations showed that over 80 percent MDR cases have the tendency to discontinue treatment in midway. Ironically the most of MDR cases are belonged to remote area having poor back ground.

With the implementation of Revised National Tuberculosis Control Programme (RNTCP) the very few patients were admitted in health centers as RNTCP emphasized on providing door to door medical treatment to patients.

Inquires with the TB Sanatorium at Dharampur showed that there was high chance of normal TB patient to turn MDR case. The MDR is an advance stage of TB where patient do not respond to conventional medical treatment prescribed either under RNTCP or the National Tuberculosis Control Programme (NTCP). These cases require multi-drug medical treatment involving huge expenditure.

According to an official of MDR TB Treatment Society at Dharampur sanatorium the 80 percent of registered MDR cases have no link with society since they left sanatorium after getting indoor medical treatment.

This issue could be a fatal for society as according to a study an uncured MDR patient can turn 20 healthy persons into MDR in a year, official pointed out. The discontinuation or delay in treatment will mean TB bacteria infecting more healthy persons and the bacteria becoming more resistant to drugs and ultimately some of the cases not responding to any known anti-TB drugs.

The official said that the need of the hour was to make coordination between respective district TB centers (DTCs) and the society to keep track of MDR patients. Otherwise it was really impossible to root out the TB completely from society, the official maintained.