Discuss the measures India can take to shorten tuberculosis treatment
Provide an explanation of the research showing India can shorten tuberculosis treatment and discuss the measures India can take to do so.
- Switch to all-oral regimens: One study showed that oral regimens can be just as effective as injectable treatments. Shifting to all-oral regimens can shorten the treatment duration and reduce side-effects.
- Implement rapid diagnostic tests: Early detection is key to shortening TB treatment. Rapid diagnostic tests can reduce the time between diagnosis and treatment initiation.
- Use new drugs: Drugs like bedaquiline and delamanid can significantly shorten treatment duration. India can expedite the approval process for these drugs and make them widely available.
- Provide patient support: Patient education and support can help improve adherence to treatment. India can provide more resources for patient counselling and support, which can help reduce treatment duration.
Answered
a year ago