Drug-resistant Tuberculosis (DR-TB) patients: Centre comes under fire after denying medicine crisis in Maharashtra

However, upon inquiry by The Indian Express with 12 districts in Maharashtra, including Nashik, Mumbai, Thane, Palghar, Nandurbar, and Gadchiroli, officials from all these districts confirmed the unavailability of the drugs. An official from Nashik stated, “We currently have drugs that will only last for five days. We’ve been attempting to procure them at the district level, but it’s taking time due to shortages in many other states as well.”

Casting doubt on the figures presented by the Centre regarding drug availability, five organizations dedicated to TB eradication —TB Mukth Vahini, ARK Foundation, Global Coalition of TB Advocates, Rainbow TB Forum, and Touched by TB — issued a joint statement, raising questions, “It is disheartening to see the recent communication from the MoHFW, which seems to disregard the very real struggles and suffering endured by the people on the ground. Such a disconnect between the statement by the MoHFW and the lived experiences of TB patients is concerning and counterproductive to our achieving the Honorable Prime Minister’s goal of eliminating TB by 2025.”

On September 17, The Indian Express highlighted the grave concerns of DR-TB patients facing life-threatening drug shortages. Renowned pulmonologist-epidemiologist, Dr Lancelot Pinto, recently turned to social media to raise awareness about the scarcity of Cycloserine. He tweeted, “We have had a shortage of Clofazimine in the past, access to BDQ took forever. We need to be more serious about a preventable and curable disease that kills so many.”

Activists also highlighted that, even if they were to accept the Centre’s data indicating that the state has just 79,926 Clofazimine capsules, the actual monthly requirement is higher, at 97,408.

In the statement, the MoHFW shared that Delamanid 50 mg and Clofazimine 100 mg were procured in August 2023 and distributed to all states and Union Territories (UTs). Furthermore, a purchase order was issued on September 23, 2023, for an additional 8 lakh Delamanid 50 mg tablets. Moreover, purchase orders for Linezolid-600mg and Cap Cycloserine-250 mg were also initiated in August 2023, and these drugs are currently in the process of being dispatched to the states.

But the social advocates outlined that it takes over two months, in displacing the procured medicine centrally to the states. This delay in procurement is affecting the states as they are dependent on the Centre’s supply. “Regarding the mention of tendering in August, what about the subsequent steps of supply and distribution from national to state drug stores, district-level facilities, and finally, at Dots dispensaries? This is a lengthy process, and these medicines should be in the hands of patients, not merely listed in official statements. It’s a matter of life and death,” said Ganesh Acharya, TB survivor and TB/HIV activist.