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Written By: Editorial Team | Published : March 22, 2014 11:55 AM IST
An international organisation of doctors on Friday asked the Indian government to prevent the unregulated sale of tuberculosis (TB) drugs in the private healthcare sector of the country. Immediate action from the Indian government is needed to prevent the unregulated sale and inappropriate prescription of TB drugs, which has had a significant role in the emergence of 'drug-resistant TB (DR-TB)' in the country, Medecins Sans Frontieres (MSF) or Doctors without Borders organisation said in a statement. (Read: Drug-resistant tuberculosis why you should be worried)
'It is the patients who suffer the consequences of poor regulation of TB drug formulations in India. An increasing number of our patients are being diagnosed with DR-TB,' said Simon Janes, medical coordinator with MSF in India. He said that the DR-TB infections are on the rise in India. 'The rising number of such cases has made the disease more difficult and considerably more expensive to treat. The conditions for emergence of drug resistance are increasingly being linked to poor drug regulation in India,' Janes said. (Read: Can Vitamin C be the cure for tuberculosis?)
India has one of the largest private TB drug markets, with rampant proliferation of first-line TB drugs in a wide variety of dosages and combinations, the MSF statement said. Homa Mansoor, another top official with MSF India, said: 'In our experience of working in India since 1999, we have seen prescriptions from private health providers that were completely inappropriate'. 'Strict regulation of first-line TB drug formulations and prescription practices in the private sector is needed in India,' she said. (Read: Scientists will soon find a new vaccine to cure tuberculosis)
What is tuberculosis?
Tuberculosis is a common infectious disease caused by bacteria called mycobacterium tuberculosis which affects the lungs. Main symptoms of TB are severe cough that lasts for three weeks or longer, bloody or discoloured sputum, night sweats, fever, fatigue and weakness, pain in the chest, loss of appetite, and pain during breathing or coughing. India had the highest total number of TB cases worldwide in 2010 partly due to poor disease management by the private healthcare sector. TB can be prevented by vaccination and maintaining high levels of hygiene. One infected, the patient should follow the medication regimen properly. By not doing so, there are chances of developing resistance to anti-TB drugs resulting in an aggressive form of TB called MDR-TB (multi-drug resistant TB). (Read: Tuberculosis - causes, symptoms and diagnosis )
With inputs from IANS
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