Multi-drug resistant patients in Pune suffer from neglect and apathy

The state health department’s directly observed treatment (DOT+) programme for multi-drug resistant tuberculosis (MDR TB) patients is available only in Nagpur. Patients in other parts of the state are deprived of such treatment.

The programme, which is run by the central TB division of the Union health ministry, was launched under the revised national TB control programme. The central TB division and the state government TB officials have failed to keep their promises to provide treatment to MDR TB cases of other cities in the last four years.

“MDR TB cases in cities other than Nagpur are neglected and are left to spread the dreadful infection to healthy individuals,’’ said Dr SV Ghorpade, head of the TB and chest department at Sassoon General Hospital.

MDR TB is a bacterium which is resistant to the two most active anti-TB drugs, isoniazid and rifampicin. Treatment of MDR TB is extremely expensive, toxic, arduous and often unsuccessful.

“At present, there are 3% MDR TB cases in the country and about 245 cases are without treatment in Pune. TB incidence is around 206 per lakh population. Patients are given the DOT+ programme’s first line of therapy. But for MDR TB cases, the second line therapy includes administering five strong drugs which are very expensive,’’ said Ghorpade. Most such patients belong to the BPL (below the poverty line) category.

“We have was raised this issue many times but to no avail. Even a letter to procure the MDR TB drugs for patients in Pune and other cities was sent to the state health director. They have not yet responded,’’ he added.

District TB officer, Dr Shobha Rajure said, “Patients suffering from MDR TB have no option but to continue with the first line of treatment as the government has failed to provide the drugs on time. This is leading to increased drug resistance in patients.”

Director of state TB training and demonstration centre, Dr Kanchan Jagtap said, “We need a full-fledged laboratory where the culture sensitivity for sputum collection of MDR TB cases can be carried out as these are very infectious and need advanced techniques.’’

The laboratory is to come up at the Aundh Civil Hospital and is almost ready, she said, adding that it would be the second laboratory to detect MDR TB cases in the state after Nagpur. “We also plan to start similar laboratories in Aurangabad and Dhule and the project is in its initial stage,’’ she said.