Latest news with #TB-affected
Time of India
7 days ago
- Health
- Time of India
WHO calls for research scale-up towards ending TB in South-East Asia region
New Delhi: The WHO on Tuesday called for urgent scale-up of research, innovation and collaboration to accelerate momentum towards ending tuberculosis in the South-East Asia region, which continues to bear nearly half of the global TB burden , accounting for the highest share of cases and deaths worldwide. Experts, national TB programme managers and researchers along with partners and members of civil society began a three-day virtual workshop organised by the World Health Organization (WHO) for advancing research and innovation to accelerate momentum towards ending TB in the WHO South-East Asia region. "In our Region alone, nearly 5 million people developed TB and close to 600,000 died from the disease in 2023," said Dr Catharina Boehme, Officer-in-Charge, WHO South-East Asia Region. Calling for urgent action, she said that achieving the ambitious targets in the WHO End TB Strategy requires collaboration to accelerate research and innovation. It requires the adoption and use of new tools, technologies and drugs. Ensuring timely and equitable access to these innovations remains critical to achieving impacts at scale, leaving no one behind, Boehme said. While the region recorded a significant increase in TB case notifications in 2023, signalling recovery after COVID-19-related setbacks, progress remains insufficient to meet the End TB Strategy targets aligned with the sustainable development goals that call for a 90 per cent reduction in TB deaths and an 80 per cent reduction in incidence by 2030 compared to 2015 levels. Post-COVID-19 pandemic, TB once again reemerged as the world's leading cause of death from a single infectious agent, the WHO said in a statement. It places a disproportionate burden on the poorest and most vulnerable, further exacerbating inequalities. In the South-East Asia region, 30 per cent to 80 per cent of the TB-affected households experience catastrophic costs, underscoring the need for equitable, people-centred approaches and strengthening social protection for the affected, the statement said. Despite these challenges, the WHO South-East Asia region made notable progress. In 2023, 3.8 million new and relapse TB cases were notified, with an 89 per cent treatment success rate for those who began treatment in 2022. Missed cases dropped to 22 per cent in 2023, down from 44 per cent in 2020, the statement said. Backed by strong political commitment, countries in the region are increasingly leveraging new approaches such as artificial intelligence for case detection, computer-aided diagnostics, digital adherence tools and direct benefit transfers for patients, streamlining the social support process. At the same time, several countries are undertaking important research, including epidemiological research to assess the disease burden, the statement said. Bangladesh recently completed a patient cost survey, while findings from India's RATIONS study on the impact of nutrition on TB outcomes and incidence of the disease have contributed to the global guidance. Social and community-based innovations are also playing a vital role. Nepal's TB-Free Pallika initiative and multisectoral coordination mechanisms in Myanmar are helping reach vulnerable populations with person-centred care. A review by the WHO South-East Asia found that member states published over 3,000 TB-related research articles in the past six years, with 60 per cent being original research. However, uptake of research outcomes remains uneven due to knowledge gaps and limited platforms for knowledge exchange and collaborative use, the statement said. "Our progress is uneven. Research and innovation capacity is varied across the Region, and the results of these efforts are often siloed and unavailable for collaborative use. The rise in drug-resistant forms of TB remains very concerning," said Dr Boehme. The key areas of focus during the virtual consultation include strengthening of South-South collaboration, vaccine preparedness, digital tools for patient care and adherence and efforts to overcome vaccine hesitancy. Participants will also discuss aligning regulatory processes, promoting data sharing and improving platforms for knowledge exchange. A significant emphasis is being placed on identifying operational implementation research priorities, especially in relation to social determinants such as undernutrition and climate change, which influence TB incidence and outcomes. "Several ongoing innovations are attempting to reach out to marginalized and vulnerable groups through active case finding and providing affected families socio-economic support to mitigate catastrophic costs", said Dr Boehme. Highlighting the importance of equity, she added, "It is incumbent to ensure equitable access to the benefits of research and innovation, including vaccines, medicines and diagnostics."
News18
05-08-2025
- Health
- News18
WHO calls for research scale-up towards ending TB in South-East Asia region
New Delhi, Aug 5 (PTI) The WHO on Tuesday called for urgent scale-up of research, innovation and collaboration to accelerate momentum towards ending tuberculosis in the South-East Asia region, which continues to bear nearly half of the global TB burden, accounting for the highest share of cases and deaths worldwide. Experts, national TB programme managers and researchers along with partners and members of civil society began a three-day virtual workshop organised by the World Health Organization (WHO) for advancing research and innovation to accelerate momentum towards ending TB in the WHO South-East Asia region. 'In our Region alone, nearly 5 million people developed TB and close to 600,000 died from the disease in 2023," said Dr Catharina Boehme, Officer-in-Charge, WHO South-East Asia Region. Calling for urgent action, she said that achieving the ambitious targets in the WHO End TB Strategy requires collaboration to accelerate research and innovation. It requires the adoption and use of new tools, technologies and drugs. Ensuring timely and equitable access to these innovations remains critical to achieving impacts at scale, leaving no one behind, Boehme said. While the region recorded a significant increase in TB case notifications in 2023, signalling recovery after COVID-19-related setbacks, progress remains insufficient to meet the End TB Strategy targets aligned with the sustainable development goals that call for a 90 per cent reduction in TB deaths and an 80 per cent reduction in incidence by 2030 compared to 2015 levels. Post-COVID-19 pandemic, TB once again reemerged as the world's leading cause of death from a single infectious agent, the WHO said in a statement. It places a disproportionate burden on the poorest and most vulnerable, further exacerbating inequalities. In the South-East Asia region, 30 per cent to 80 per cent of the TB-affected households experience catastrophic costs, underscoring the need for equitable, people-centred approaches and strengthening social protection for the affected, the statement said. Despite these challenges, the WHO South-East Asia region made notable progress. In 2023, 3.8 million new and relapse TB cases were notified, with an 89 per cent treatment success rate for those who began treatment in 2022. Missed cases dropped to 22 per cent in 2023, down from 44 per cent in 2020, the statement said. Backed by strong political commitment, countries in the region are increasingly leveraging new approaches such as artificial intelligence for case detection, computer-aided diagnostics, digital adherence tools and direct benefit transfers for patients, streamlining the social support process. At the same time, several countries are undertaking important research, including epidemiological research to assess the disease burden, the statement said. Bangladesh recently completed a patient cost survey, while findings from India's RATIONS study on the impact of nutrition on TB outcomes and incidence of the disease have contributed to the global guidance. Social and community-based innovations are also playing a vital role. Nepal's TB-Free Pallika initiative and multisectoral coordination mechanisms in Myanmar are helping reach vulnerable populations with person-centred care. A review by the WHO South-East Asia found that member states published over 3,000 TB-related research articles in the past six years, with 60 per cent being original research. However, uptake of research outcomes remains uneven due to knowledge gaps and limited platforms for knowledge exchange and collaborative use, the statement said. 'Our progress is uneven. Research and innovation capacity is varied across the Region, and the results of these efforts are often siloed and unavailable for collaborative use. The rise in drug-resistant forms of TB remains very concerning," said Dr Boehme. The key areas of focus during the virtual consultation include strengthening of South-South collaboration, vaccine preparedness, digital tools for patient care and adherence and efforts to overcome vaccine hesitancy. Participants will also discuss aligning regulatory processes, promoting data sharing and improving platforms for knowledge exchange. A significant emphasis is being placed on identifying operational implementation research priorities, especially in relation to social determinants such as undernutrition and climate change, which influence TB incidence and outcomes. top videos View all 'Several ongoing innovations are attempting to reach out to marginalized and vulnerable groups through active case finding and providing affected families socio-economic support to mitigate catastrophic costs", said Dr Boehme. Highlighting the importance of equity, she added, 'It is incumbent to ensure equitable access to the benefits of research and innovation, including vaccines, medicines and diagnostics." PTI PLB KSS KSS (This story has not been edited by News18 staff and is published from a syndicated news agency feed - PTI) view comments First Published: August 05, 2025, 19:30 IST News agency-feeds WHO calls for research scale-up towards ending TB in South-East Asia region Disclaimer: Comments reflect users' views, not News18's. 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Time of India
01-06-2025
- Health
- Time of India
AIIMS-P to use AI-powered devices to improve patient care
Patna: All India Institute of Medical Sciences (AIIMS), Patna, has entered into a partnership with the e-health section of the ministry of health and family welfare to develop artificial intelligence (AI)-powered solutions. Tired of too many ads? go ad free now It has recently also procured several AI-enabled medical devices to enhance patient treatment. Head of cardiothoracic surgery department at AIIMS-Patna, Dr Sanjiv Kumar, said that with the AI revolutionising healthcare, education, and research on a large scale, it has become crucial to build a strong foundational understanding of AI principles and applications now a days. "AI algorithms can detect maladies like cancer, heart disease, and neurological problems from medical images such as X-rays, MRIs, and CT scans. AI helps doctors determine patterns that human doctors may miss, thus improving their accuracy in diagnosing patients. Even a beginner can interpret an ECG properly with the AI-driven instrument," he said. Dr Kumar further pointed out that orthopaedic department of the AIIMS-Patna has started robotic surgery for the treatment of its patients with higher accuracy. In fact, AI has revolutionised the health care system in modern times with accurate data analysis and predictive health care, he added. Recently, the state health department has decided to launch an intensive screening of TB patients by using the technology of AI. Teams from the health department would move from village to village along with hand-held X-ray machines and AI-controlled mobile kits to identify the TB-affected people. Health department sources said that at present there are nearly two lakh TB patients in the state and more than 10,000 people affected by this disease have died during the last two years (2022-23 and 2023-24). Tired of too many ads? go ad free now Pramod Kumar Singh, director-in-chief (disease control) of state health department, said that the proposed screening would reveal the exact number of people suffering from TB. "AI will not only help immediate detection of TB patients with the help of X-ray and data analytics but also suggest the protocol of treatment of patients on the basis of their test reports. The department hopes that the screening will be completed soon so that proper treatment of the patients may be started at the earliest," he said. Dr Satish Kumar of Nalanda Medical College and Hospital (NMCH) said that equipment based on AI technology must be procured at all the health centres of the state with a view to ensuring early diagnosis and proper treatment of the patients. These machines would facilitate in reducing unwarranted rush of patients at the hospitals by curtailing the time of treatment, he said.
Time of India
01-06-2025
- Health
- Time of India
AIIMS-P to use AI-powered diagnostic equipment to improve patient care
Patna: All India Institute of Medical Sciences (AIIMS), Patna, has entered into a partnership with the e-health section of the ministry of health and family welfare to develop artificial intelligence (AI) powered solutions. It has recently also procured several AI-enabled medical devices to enhance patient treatment. Head of cardiothoracic surgery department at AIIMS-Patna, Dr Sanjiv Kumar, said that with the AI revolutionising healthcare, education, and research on a large scale, it has become crucial to build a strong foundational understanding of AI principles and applications now a days. "AI algorithms can detect maladies like cancer, heart disease, and neurological problems from medical images such as X-rays, MRIs, and CT scans. AI helps doctors determine patterns that human doctors may miss, thus improving their accuracy in diagnosing patients. Even a beginner can interpret an ECG properly with the AI-driven instrument," he said. Dr Kumar further pointed out that orthopaedic department of the AIIMS-Patna has started robotic surgery for the treatment of its patients with higher accuracy. In fact, AI has revolutionised the health care system in modern times with accurate data analysis and predictive health care, he added. Recently, the state health department has decided to launch an intensive screening of TB patients by using the technology of AI. Teams from the health department would move from village to village along with hand-held X-ray machines and AI-controlled mobile kits to identify the TB-affected people. Health department sources said that at present there are nearly two lakh TB patients in the state and more than 10,000 people affected by this disease have died during the last two years (2022-23 and 2023-24). Pramod Kumar Singh, director-in-chief (disease control) of state health department, said that the proposed screening would reveal the exact number of people suffering from TB. "AI will not only help immediate detection of TB patients with the help of X-ray and data analytics but also suggest the protocol of treatment of patients on the basis of their test reports. The department hopes that the screening will be completed soon so that proper treatment of the patients may be started at the earliest," he said. Dr Satish Kumar of Nalanda Medical College and Hospital (NMCH) said that equipment based on AI technology must be procured at all the health centres of the state with a view to ensuring early diagnosis and proper treatment of the patients. These machines would facilitate in reducing unwarranted rush of patients at the hospitals by curtailing the time of treatment, he said.
Hindustan Times
14-05-2025
- Health
- Hindustan Times
In fight against TB, poor nutrition a silent killer
MUMBAI: A 32-year-old woman from a Worli slum is battling tuberculosis (TB) for the second time. A few months ago, she was diagnosed with drug-resistant TB—a more severe and harder-to-treat version of the disease. The woman lacks a crucial component in her treatment regimen – one no doctor can provide. The truth is, adequate nutrition alone would greatly raise her chances of recovery. Studies have shown that malnutrition fuels deaths and drug resistance in TB patients, undermining efforts to treat patients with all forms of the disease. On the other hand, a nutrient-rich diet significantly enhances positive outcomes. Part of the reason the woman is malnourished is that, for the last four months, she has not received the ₹1,000 monthly nutritional support under the government's Nikshay Poshan Yojana. The sum, recently doubled, is meant to help TB patients afford the bare essentials of a recovery-friendly diet. 'My monthly food expenses are around ₹2,000. So I skip the ₹700 protein powder prescribed by my doctor,' she told HT. A grim reality Vatsala was one of 2,800 people diagnosed with drug-resistant TB in Mumbai in 2024. That year, Mumbai recorded 60,051 TB cases—averaging 164 new cases diagnosed each day. In Maharashtra, TB detection rose marginally, by 2% in 2024 – 2,28,877 cases were reported, or 627 cases a day. In 2024, Mumbai alone witnessed 2,264 TB-related deaths—averaging over six deaths a day. Parel recorded the highest toll – 377 deaths, according to data obtained through the Right to Information Act, 2005. Nutritional support Health activists say the government should consider food a medical necessity for TB patients. Ganesh Acharya, a health activist working with TB patients in Mumbai, said, 'The ₹1,000 support should be raised to at least ₹2,500 if we want patients to recover. Nutrition is not a luxury—it is the core of TB treatment.' His concerns are reflected in the findings of the RATIONS trial—a landmark study (conducted between 2019 and 20-22, and published in The Lancet in 2023) in tribal Jharkhand, where TB-affected families were provided macronutrient-rich food baskets (1,200 kcal for patients and 750 kcal for household contacts). The trial showed significantly improved treatment outcomes and a reduction in TB incidence among contacts (family members). Based on this, a modelling study published in The Lancet Global Health (March 2025) estimated that providing food and supplements to just 50% of India's TB-affected households could prevent 361,200 deaths and 880,700 new TB cases between 2023 and 2035. Dr Finn McQuaid, one of the RATIONS researchers, told Hindustan Times, 'My understanding is that ( ₹1,000) is a big step in the right direction but it's not quite there yet. Another issue is that the composition of food baskets is important (they must contain sufficient proteins and micronutrients), which cash support alone may not address.' Dr Pranay Sinha, assistant professor at the Boston University School of Medicine, said implementation, not just policy design, is the bigger challenge. 'Lack of access to banking and other logistical delays prevent persons with TB from receiving the money at the most critical juncture of their treatment. We need some operational innovations to ensure that PWTB get the money as soon as possible post-diagnosis.' Role of Body Mass Index BMI is a key clinical indicator in TB outcomes—lower BMI increases mortality risk. However, McQuaid cautions against targeting support based on BMI. The RATIONS trial showed benefits even in patients with normal BMI, he underscores. On the flipside, Dr Pranay Sinha points out, even TB patients with normal BMI may suffer micronutrient deficiencies, noting studies linking Vitamin A deficiency to a ten-fold TB risk and citing 25% mortality in patients with BMI below 14 in Tamil Nadu, where he advocates early inpatient nutritional care. Sponsor a patient Experts feel it is not wise to lean too heavily on government schemes for nutritional support, an issue the Ni-kshay Mitra scheme hopes to address. A government scheme, it aims to enhance community involvement in the fight against TB by linking patients with supporters, or 'mitras', who provide assistance. Pulmonologist Dr Vikas Oswal said, 'The ₹1,000 is not meant to cover an entire diet, but it's a helpful supplement. The Ni-kshay Mitra initiative enables individuals and organisations to sponsor patients and provide regular food baskets.' However, patients from high-burden areas such as Govandi and Dharavi told HT that this support too is inconsistent. A 44-year-old autorickshaw driver from Dharavi, who is undergoing treatment for bone tuberculosis, said he last received the food basket in November 2024. 'The local politician who was distributing it stopped. The basket had apples, pomegranates, and grains—it helped us survive for seven months. I can't work due to my health, and my wife supports the household. TB medicines kill my appetite, but getting good food encourages me to eat better than just dry roti at home,' he said. According to the Ni-kshay Mitra dashboard, Maharashtra currently has 1,50,579 people undergoing TB treatment. While 14,194 donors have registered under the scheme—and 83.2% committed to providing food baskets for at least six months—coverage remains patchy. In Dadar, of the 3,041 patients under treatment, only 1,569 received food baskets. In another ward, just 1,646 out of 2,133 got assistance—barely 60%. 'There's a system,' said Acharya, 'but it's breaking where it's needed the most.' Dr Sandeep Sangale, Joint Director (TB and Leprosy), Maharashtra, dismissed claims that some TB patients are still receiving ₹500 instead of the revised ₹1,000 nutrition support. 'All patient accounts are centrally linked and payments are generated alphabetically through the system. There is no possibility of anyone receiving ₹500 now. The disbursal is done every three months, so patients in earlier payment cycles may have received a lump sum for three months. The next instalment will be credited once their cycle resumes,' he said.
