A girl from Govandi in Mumbai is resistant to 12 of the 13 anti-TB drugs which are available. As per doctors, this makes her a public hazard since she could spread the disease to others.<\/p>\n
However, though she has TB, she lives at home and uses the public transport frequently.<\/p>\n
Dr Oswal who thinks that the girl could be quarantined to limit the chances of her spreading the infection says, \u201cShe travels in buses and local trains, just like most of us. Knowing that she possibly harbours a bacterial strain that is resistant to all other drugs, including Bedaquiline, she could be spreading the infection.\u201d<\/p>\n
But the catch is that it\u2019s not stated anywhere in the national TB policy that severe drug resistant patients have to be isolated. \u201cDoctors have to be cautious and make patients aware about spreading the infection in the community. We can\u2019t stop patients from travelling,\u201d said Dr Sunil Khaparde, deputy director general of the TB control programme.<\/p>\n
Delamanid is the drug which works in the girl\u2019s case. However, it may not be of help. As Dr Oswal says, \u201cDelamanid is a highly advanced anti-TB drug, but its efficiency is questionable in her case as it has to be given in combination with other drugs, which she has already developed a resistance to. If she doesn\u2019t respond to it, there is nothing else that we can try\u201d<\/p>\n
The girl\u2019s aunt takes care of her. She has never been screened for the infection.<\/p>\n
Moreover, the aunt works as a helper at a local school where she has to take care of kids as young as four years old. She said that even though the doctors have asked her to get tested, she never seem to be able to find the time. Also, she said that both her parents had contracted and succumbed to TB.<\/p>\n
Her mother died when she was just nine and eight years later her father too bid the world good bye.<\/p>\n
Bedaquiline not miracle drug, says doctors<\/strong><\/p>\n The girl\u2019s case comes on the heels of the recent case in which an 18 year old from Patna was refused Bedaquiline at a Delhi hospital, saying she was not a resident of the city.<\/p>\n The Delhi high court eventually ruled that the patient\u2019s domicile isn\u2019t an eligibility criterion for Bedaquiline. Another concern which doctors have expressed is about calling Bedaquiline a \u2018miracle drug.\u2019 \u201cWhen treating TB, there cannot be a single \u2018miracle drug\u2019. Any drug has to be given in combination with other drugs that are known to work,\u201d said Dr Yatin Dholakia, technical advisor to Maharashtra State Anti-TB Association.<\/p>\n Image credits: apakenya.com<\/em><\/p>\n Images may be indicative<\/em><\/p>\n","protected":false},"excerpt":{"rendered":" A girl from Govandi in Mumbai is resistant to 12 of the 13 anti-TB drugs which are available. As per doctors, this makes her a public hazard since she could spread the disease to others. However, though she has TB, she lives at home and uses the public transport frequently. Dr Oswal who thinks that […]<\/p>\n","protected":false},"author":11,"featured_media":3978,"comment_status":"open","ping_status":"open","sticky":false,"template":"","format":"standard","meta":{"_exactmetrics_skip_tracking":false,"_jetpack_newsletter_access":"","_jetpack_dont_email_post_to_subs":false,"_jetpack_newsletter_tier_id":0,"_jetpack_memberships_contains_paywalled_content":false,"_jetpack_memberships_contains_paid_content":false,"footnotes":"","jetpack_post_was_ever_published":false},"categories":[1],"tags":[],"class_list":["post-3977","post","type-post","status-publish","format-standard","has-post-thumbnail","hentry","category-uncategorized"],"yoast_head":"\n
\nThe decision means that more number of TB patients could take Bedaquiline. However, doctors did say that the screening of the patients should be done very carefully.<\/p>\n