Bhopal (Madhya Pradesh): An acute shortage of tuberculosis medicines for the past three months has been posing an increased health risk to patients undergoing treatment in Madhya Pradesh. As a result, more than 1.60 lakh TB patients have been relying on combination or substitute drugs. Lack of proper medicines is delaying patients' recovery.
Meanwhile, experts say that using substitute drugs can cause spike in TB infections. On the other hand, the Madhya Pradesh Human Rights Commission has also taken serious note of the matter. The panel asked for a status report from the state health department. It is said that among the four generic medicines used in treatment of TB, pyrazinamide and rifampicin are in short supply for the past three months.
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The MP health department has been blaming shortage of funds for purchase of new batch of TB medicines. Officials say the funds from the central government are awaited. Whereas, doctors say that the intake of TB substitute medicines or its combination is not a healthy practice. A TB patient on condition of anonymity said, "For the past two months, I was taking just two generic medicines of TB out of four. Despite several reminders to the health centre, nothing happened."
Four medicines such as rifampicin, ethambitol, INH and pyrazinamide are used for the treatment of TB patients. A patient is supposed to take these medicines for six months. The intake of medicines is divided into two parts. The first two months is called intensive phase (IP) and the remaining four months is called continuation phase. Experts believe that intensive phase is the crucial period for containing the disease. Hence, shortage of medicines in the IP can pose the health risk to a patient.
Elaborating on the possible health risk, Regional Respiratory Ailments Institute's head of department Dr Lokendra Dave, explained, "Half baked treatment can cause relapse of the disease. The treatment to a TB patient may also be prolonged."
Giving reasons for short supply of TB medicines, Dr Varsha Rai, state tuberculosis control officer, said, "We are facing shortage of medicines. The central government makes available funds to us to purchase medicines. Heath staffers tasked with the responsibility of distributing medicines to patients are on strike. Hence we are facing problem." Dr Manoj Verma, district TB control officer, said that funds have arrived to purchase medicines which will be made available to patients soon.
