The Delhi government on Tuesday set up a committee to look into the shortage in supply of tuberculosis drugs in the city. This comes after the Indian Express reported on December 17 A 16-year-old patient named Harshita Singh Chandel did not have tuberculosis medicine; She had filed a writ in the Delhi High Court against the irregular supply from the district dispensary and hospital. The court has directed the state government to provide him with medicine.
In the order issued by the office of the Directorate General of Health Services, it is said, ‘The committee will study the factual situation and gaps in the supply of these medicines, the reasons for them and the actions taken so far to fill the gaps. The committee will also submit recommendations to ensure uninterrupted supply of drugs to TB patients in Delhi.
Harshita, who lives with her parents and two sisters in Jahangirpuri, has not been able to attend school since July after she was diagnosed with multi-drug resistant tuberculosis. The medicine she needs is not in stock at a government dispensary five minutes from her home. His mother, Jyoti Singh, said that in five months, she had only brought medicines called linezolid and cycloserine for one month from the dispensary. On Monday, he managed to get five days worth of tablets.
Speaking to The Indian Express on Tuesday, Jyoti said that she received calls from several officials who assured her that the issue would be resolved. He added, ‘I received a call from the dispensary on Tuesday to take medicine.
She said that Harshita had also promised the authorities to give Rs 500 per month as an incentive to tuberculosis patients. The family claimed that they did not receive the money.
A state health department official said the committee will also find out how many patients are unable to take the medicine.
Meanwhile, the central government is running a 100-day campaign in 347 high-priority districts of 33 states and union territories to eradicate tuberculosis in India. This is done to increase identification in selected high burden districts with a mission to eliminate TB by 2025. In Delhi, the campaign is running in all 11 districts.
Last month, the World Health Organization highlighted two important milestones in India’s fight against tuberculosis: an 18% reduction in cases over the past 10 years, more than double the global rate; and a 24% reduction in deaths over the same period, more than the global average of 23%.
But since 2023, there has been a shortage in the supply of key tuberculosis drugs, The Indian Express reported on December 6. The Center has now directed states to buy locally for three months, with no restrictions on size or composition.
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