Now, get a reminder on your phone to have your TB medication

This new software can enhance the TB treatment a great deal.

TB or tuberculosis is an infectious disease which can easily spread from one person to the other. India had the highest number of TB cases in 2010 which makes it important that the treatment process be as stringent as possible. In order to make this possible, Apollo Hospitals and the International Union Against Tuberculosis and Lung Disease have come together to bring about a few changes in the process. Here are 9 symptoms of TB.

They have started a TB intervention programme that will help patients and the authority as well. TB patients often stop taking drugs once they start feeling better but this is one of the worst mistakes as this can lead to complex drug resistant TB. Read why this is so dangerous. Therefore it is vital that they continue the full course of medicine. The software they have introduced will send reminders in the form of SMS, voice calls to remind them about taking their medicine. It will even provide counselling to such patients.

The software will also help upload the patient's case information to the Central Govt's website 'Nikshay' which will keep track of their progress and how well they are following the treatment process.

Sarabjit Chadha, the Project Director of the International Union Against Tuberculosis and Lung Disease told the media that as of now there isn't any automatic mechanism that can notify TB cases to government authorities or any system that can follow up cases. But this software will address both these issues. Read these diet tips for TB patients.

After a trial run at Apollo Hospitals, they want to see the response and later spread it to all private healthcare providers so that better and more effective TB treatment can be delivered across the country.

Image source: Getty

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