TB med shortage: Maharashtra seeks help from neighbours

After the other states help Maharashtra, the medicines will be distributed in Mumbai. Representation pic

The nationwide shortage of essential drug-resistant tuberculosis medicines at DOTS centres, has severely affected the treatment of thousands of TB patients in the state. Consequently, Maharashtra has been forced to seek medicines from neighbouring states. While it is not yet clear which states will supply the medicines, some neighbouring states like Karnataka and Goa have low prevalence of TB.

Gujarat also has low prevalence of TB compared to Maharashtra. We are in contact with other states that have low TB prevalence. The Central TB Division is also working to identify states that can provide us medicines," said Dr Sunita Golait, state TB officer.

The medicines needed are Moxifloxacin, Cycloserine, Linezolid, Clofazamine, and Delamanid. Once other states help Maharashtra with the supply, these medicines will be primarily distributed in Mumbai, where prevalence of drug-resistant (DR) TB is the highest in the state. TB medicines are supposed to be supplied by the Central TB Division under the Union Ministry of Health and Family Welfare to the states, which then distribute them to civic and other local bodies.

States procuring medicines

However, TB officials from multiple states revealed to mid-day that the supply of medicines from the Central TB Division has been interrupted in the past couple of months due to errors in the tender process. Consequently, states were required to procure medicines themselves. "All this happened at the last moment. States need to be provided with sufficient time to complete the procurement process," said a health official in Mumbai.

Central TB Division's Dr Alok Mathur, who is in charge of procurement and supply chain management of TB medicines, has not been responding to mid-day's queries and did not reply even for this report.

The official said local purchases of medicines have been made, but some places in Mumbai still require restocking. "This will be resolved within a day or two," he assured. Additionally, BMC's health department has reached out to the Central TB Department, and a stock of drugs is expected in a couple of months. On August 19, mid-day reported on this issue, highlighting the plight of a number of TB patients in the city who have missed their daily doses due to the lack of supply or have resorted to paying exorbitant amounts at private medical shops.

A nationwide problem

Subsequent reports by mid-day revealed that this is a nationwide problem. The situation raises questions about the Central government's tall claims of TB elimination by 2025. TB survivors and activists have pleaded with the Ministry of Health to urgently restock medicines. Drug resistant TB can spread from one person to another, which can further increase TB patients' numbers in the country.

19,311
No of TB cases at public health facilities