Rohit Shishodia

Government of India and Delhi-based BLK-Max Super Specialty Hospital have collaborated to treat Drug Resistant Tuberculosis (DR-TB), with newer antitubercular medicines, for free of cost.

The initiative was taken after the Delhi State TB Control office proposed the hospital to partner to provide DR-TB treatment services to patients residing in Delhi and seeking care in the private sector.

“North India’s leading healthcare provider BLK-Max Super Specialty Hospital has become the first private hospital in Delhi and third in India to tie-up with the Government to treat Drug Resistant Tuberculosis (DR-TB), with newer antitubercular medicines, for free of cost,"  BLK-Max Super Specialty Hospital said in the statement.
"This newer drug is available only at Government designated centres and BLK-Max Hospital is the first one to administer this in the Delhi region. This is yet another patient centric step taken by the leading healthcare provider,” the statement further read.

Dr Sandeep Nayar, Senior Director & HOD, BLK-Max Centre for Chest & Respiratory Diseases, BLK-Max Super Speciality Hospital, said, “We are happy to collaborate in the national eradication program for tuberculosis by providing the latest treatments, free of cost under this initiative. Public awareness is important amongst masses, irrespective of their social strata. One needs to get the diagnosis correct and then undergo a strict treatment regime that mainly comprises oral medication.”

“India has seen a rise in DR-TB which is a more difficult disease to treat. New drugs available for treatment of TB drugs have a reduced treatment time of six months in comparison to the earlier 12 to 15 months course. Eradication of TB (like Polio) requires sustained efforts from both public and private healthcare systems,” Dr Nayar added.

 Dr Nayar pointed out that in 2021, India notified at least 21 Lakh TB patients, out of which around 50,000 were found to be multidrug resistant/ rifampicin resistant (MDR/RR) patients.

"While on the other hand, a total of 1.1 lakh TB patients with 80,000 patients were diagnosed in the public sector in Delhi alone. Delhi has a large number of urban slums, migrant population and hence a high transmission rate. It accounted for closer to 2,000 drug-resistant tuberculosis patients in the same year,” Dr Nayar explained.

Tuberculosis is a major public health concern in developing nations and India accounts for over 25 % of the global burden, according to WHO.

Among these TB patients, the ones who are diagnosed with drug resistant TB (DR-TB) have the worst outcomes and can transmit the infection to their household members and the community.