The tuberculosis rate in India could be way more than what has been estimated, shows a study. Some of the most important facts that the study brings to light are the following:
- India’s annual TB cases was assumed to be 2.2 million. But the study puts the number at more than 3.8 million in 2014
- This rate doesn’t take into account drug-resistant TB cases
- By looking at the medicine sales the study found that patients who visit private hospitals would come around 2.2 million as opposed to the previously estimated 2.2 lakh
- The study was jointly conducted by the Indian government, the Imperial College of London and the Bill and Melinda Gates Foundation. It will appear on the Lancet: Infectious Diseases journal on Thursday
As per the study’s main author Dr Nimalan Arinaminpathy so far we were lacking in a clear idea of the size of the TB problem in India, especially concerning the private sector. The study addresses the question through quantitative data, he said.
Image credits: wsj.com