Govt to roll out training programme for novel TB drug regimen: What it means for drug-resistant patients?

The oral regime is effective, shorter, has fewer side effects and prevents disease transmission

Tuberculosis, drug-resistant tuberculosis, TB treatment, WHO TB medicine recommendations, novel BPaLM regimen, healthcare professionals training, Indian EXPRESS

The training will cover monitoring of patients for adverse effects and determining the appropriate line of treatment. (File Photo)

Nearly two years after the World Health Organisation (WHO) recommended the use of the novel oral regimen for drug-resistant tuberculosis (TB), which offers better, faster treatment outcomes and improves patients’ quality of life, India is set to roll out training of healthcare professionals in administering this treatment.

Senior health ministry officials told The Indian Express that the training for the new drug regimen, called BPalM, will begin by the end of August or the first week of September, starting in Mumbai, Maharashtra, and extend to five other locations in various states. “There will be six training sites. Each site will cover around six states,” said Dr Urvashi Singh, Deputy Director General (TB) at the Central TB Division, Union Ministry of Health and Family Welfare.

What is the BPalM regime?

It is composed of bedaquiline, pretomanid, linezolid and moxifloxacin (BPaLM) for treating multi-drug-resistant or rifampicin-resistant tuberculosis (MDR/RR-TB). Currently, TB patients in nearly 40 countries have access to this new regimen.

The BPalM protocol is more effective, has a shorter duration of treatment (six months versus the prevailing 18-24 months), fewer side effects and, most importantly, prevents transmission, making it a pivotal tool in containing and managing TB. India, which accounts for 27 per cent of global TB cases, stands to benefit significantly.

How will this help in the National TB Elimination Programme?

This move is expected to boost the country’s National TB Elimination Programme, which aims to eliminate the disease by 2025. “The Health Ministry decided to roll out the BPaLM regimen for drug-resistant tuberculosis based on encouraging findings from an Indian Council of Medical Research (ICMR) study,” said Dr Soumya Swaminathan, Principal Advisor to the Union Ministry of Health and Family Welfare for the National Tuberculosis Elimination Programme.

“A study coordinated by the ICMR and the National Institute of Research in Tuberculosis, Chennai, has shown over 90 per cent cure rates. Mortality, which is usually 14 to 17 per cent, drops to about three to four per cent,” said Dr Rajesh Solanki, co-chairman of the national technical expert group of the National TB Elimination Programme, highlighting why this drug protocol could be a game-changer in public health management.

What’s the training module like?

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The training will cover monitoring patients for adverse effects and determining the appropriate line of treatment. It will be provided to state TB officers, medical officers, and master trainers, who will then train others at the district and community levels. This ensures that chest physicians are well-equipped to prescribe the correct drug regimens. “The sites will likely be in Maharashtra, Uttar Pradesh, Goa, Karnataka, and the cities of Kolkata and Chandigarh,” Dr Solanki said.

Dr Singh emphasised the importance of clarity in the new treatment during the training. “While the newer regimen offers better outcomes, the current regimens are also effective. It is crucial to be cautious during the transition from the previous regimen and to identify where the patient, who is resistant to TB drugs, fits within the spectrum,” she said.

What about drugs?

While drugs like bedaquiline, linezolid and moxifloxacin are already being procured, pretomanid is being sourced under the National TB Elimination Programme. “Rate contracts have been established,” Dr Singh confirmed. Dr Swaminathan is also keen about scaling up molecular tests like the nucleic acid amplification test (NAAT). “Currently, we are finding about 65,000 patients of multi-drug resistant TB a year and hence scaling up NAAT coverage is essential,” she said.

Anuradha Mascarenhas

Anuradha Mascarenhas is a Senior Editor at The Indian Express, based in Pune. With a career spanning three decades, she is one of the most respected voices in Indian journalism regarding healthcare, science and environment and research developments. She also takes a keen interest in covering women's issues . Anuradha has won several awards including the Press Council of India's national award for excellence in journalism under the gender based reporting category in 2019 and the Laadli Media award (gender sensitivity -2024). A recipient of the Lokmat journalism award (gender category-2022), she was also shortlisted for the RedInk awards for excellence in journalism-2021. Her debut book At The Wheel Of Research, an exclusive biography of Dr Soumya Swaminathan the inaugural chief scientist of World Health Organisation was also nominated in the Popular Choice Category of JK Paper AUTHER awards. She has also secured competitive fellowships including the Laadli Media Fellowship (2022), the Survivors Against TB – New Research in TB Media Fellowship (2023) and is part of the prestigious 2025 India Cohort of the WomenLift Health Leadership Journey.” Professional Background Education: A gold medalist in Communication and Journalism from Savitribai Phule Pune University and a Master’s degree in Literature. Author: She authored the biography At The Wheel Of Research, which chronicles the life and work of Dr. Soumya Swaminathan, the former Chief Scientist at the WHO. Key Focus: She combines scientific accuracy with storytelling, translating complex medical research into compelling public and human-interest narratives. Recent Notable Articles (Late 2025) 1. Cancer & Specialized Medical Care "Tata Memorial finds way to kill drug-resistant cancer cells" (Nov 26, 2025): Reporting on a breakthrough for triple-negative breast cancer, one of the most aggressive forms of the disease. ``Discipline, diet and purpose; How a 97-year-old professor defies ageing'' (Nov 15, 2025) Report about Prof Gururaj Mutalik, the first Head of Department at Pune's B J Government Medical College who at 97 credits his longevity to healthy habits and a strong sense of purpose. 2. Environmental Health (The "Breathless Pune" Series) "Long-term exposure even to 'moderate' air leads to chronic heart, lung, kidney issues" (Nov 26, 2025): Part of an investigative series highlighting that even "safe" pollution levels are damaging to vital organs. "For every 10 µg/m3 increase in PM2.5 level, there was 6-8% jump in medicine sales" (Nov 23, 2025): Using commercial data to prove the direct link between air quality and respiratory illnesses in Pune. 3. Lifestyle & Wellness News "They didn't let cancer, diabetes and heart disease stop them from travelling" (Dec 22, 2025): A collaborative piece featuring survivors who share practical tips for traveling with chronic conditions. ``At 17, his BP shot up to 200/120 mmHG; Lancet study flags why child and teen hypertension doubled between 2000 and 2020'' (Nov 12,2025)--A report that focusses on 17-year-old-boy's hypertensive crisis and reflects the rising global trend of high blood pressure among children and adolescents. 4. Scientific Recognition & Infrastructure "For promoting sci-comm, gender diversity: IUCAA woman prof highlighted in Nature" (Nov 25, 2025): Covering the global recognition of Indian women scientists in gender studies and physics. ``Pune researchers find a spiral galaxy like the Milky Way from early universe'' (December 3, 2025)- A report on how Indian researchers discovered a massive galaxy that existed when the universe was just 1.5 billion years old , one of the earliest to have been observed so far. Signature Beat: Health, Science & Women in Leadership Anuradha is known for her COVID-19 reportage, where she was one of the first journalists to provide detailed insights into the Covishield and Covaxin trials. She has a dedicated interest in gender diversity in health and science, often profiling women researchers who are breaking the "leaky pipeline" in STEM fields. Her writing style is scrupulous, often featuring interviews with top-tier scientists and health experts from various institutions X (Twitter): @runaanu ... Read More