Simulated patient study sheds new light on antibiotic use in India
Shobha Shukla, CNS (Citizen News Service)
Overuse and/or misuse of antibiotics has led to antimicrobial resistant superbugs pose a global health emergency. This threat is particularly great in India, that has the highest burden of TB in the world and is also the world’s largest consumer of antibiotics. In a first of its kind study, led by Dr Srinath Satyanarayana of McGill University, and published in The Lancet Infectious Diseases, researchers used standardized patients (also called ‘simulated or mystery patients’) to understand how pharmacies in 3 Indian cities treated patients presenting with TB symptoms or diagnoses and to determine whether these pharmacies were contributing to the inappropriate use of antibiotics.
Overuse and/or misuse of antibiotics has led to antimicrobial resistant superbugs pose a global health emergency. This threat is particularly great in India, that has the highest burden of TB in the world and is also the world’s largest consumer of antibiotics. In a first of its kind study, led by Dr Srinath Satyanarayana of McGill University, and published in The Lancet Infectious Diseases, researchers used standardized patients (also called ‘simulated or mystery patients’) to understand how pharmacies in 3 Indian cities treated patients presenting with TB symptoms or diagnoses and to determine whether these pharmacies were contributing to the inappropriate use of antibiotics. 
New study pegs the number of TB cases in India at double the current estimates
Shobha Shukla, CNS (Citizen News Service)
The number of TB cases in India may be up to 2-3 times higher than the latest current estimates, suggests a new research study published today in the The Lancet Infectious Diseases journal. TB is a major global public health challenge. In 2014, 6.3 million TB cases were reported worldwide, with India accounting for over 25% of them - the highest for any country.
The number of TB cases in India may be up to 2-3 times higher than the latest current estimates, suggests a new research study published today in the The Lancet Infectious Diseases journal. TB is a major global public health challenge. In 2014, 6.3 million TB cases were reported worldwide, with India accounting for over 25% of them - the highest for any country.
Frontline voices: To be a transgender living with HIV in India
Shobha Shukla, CNS (Citizen News Service)
Armed with a management degree in marketing, Amruta Soni is currently working in Patna as the state programme manager at National Coalition of PLHIV in India (NCPI) for the Vihaan project in Bihar. Today she confidently handles 15 partner NGOs, providing them with technical support on how to implement the programme and link people living with HIV (PLHIV) with Vihaan care and support centres.
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| Shobha Shukla (left) and Amruta Soni (right) |
[Call to register] Webinar: Are TB, malaria and Anti-Microbial Resistance declining fast enough to meet SDGs by 2030?
[Watch webinar recording] [Download/Listen to audio podcast] We welcome you to register for an exclusive media webinar on progress made (or lack of) towards ending TB, malaria and Anti-Microbial Resistance (AMR) by 2030 (or earlier). Governments have adopted the Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs), one of which is to end TB and malaria by 2030 (SDG 3.3).
CNS at TB 2016 and AIDS 2016: Integrated responses are a must for achieving SDGs by 2030
A call for collaborative TB-HIV treatment
Catherine Mwauyakufa, CNS Correspondent, Zimbabwe
It is high time that there is a collaborative TB-HIV treatment if we are to have quality life for people living with HIV (PLHIV). Taking medication for HIV daily is already a burden and for TB co-infection the additional tablets to be swallowed by a patient daily become more than a mouthful. To understand the pill burden remember one day you went down with a common cold and had to take two or three tablets for a prescribed treatment time. The moment you got better you stopped the treatment without finishing the course.
India needs to work aggressively to combat MDR-TB
Pritha Roy Choudhury, CNS Correspondent, India
TB has been, and still is, a global menace. With nearly one-third of the population infected with Mycobacterium Tuberculosis, TB is now killing more people each year than HIV, with Asia and Africa contributing to the maximum number of fatalities. As per the latest treatment regimen available, the treatment period for MDR-TB has been halved from the current 24 months to 9-12 months, thus not only reducing the cost of treatment but also improving adherence and hence upping the cure rate.
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