Maharashtra Launches Six-Month Treatment Regimen for Drug-Resistant TB Patients
The growing challenge of drug-resistant tuberculosis (TB), the Maharashtra government is set to introduce a six-month treatment regimen that promises to significantly shorten the current two-year treatment duration for multi-drug-resistant (MDR) TB patients. This new treatment plan, part of the National TB Elimination Programme (NTEP), aims to improve patient adherence, reduce the chances of mortality, and streamline the process of treating one of India’s most persistent public health threats.
The new regimen, known as BPaL/BPaLM, combines four critical medications: bedaquiline, pretomanid, linezolid, and moxifloxacin. These drugs, previously shown to be effective in treating drug-resistant TB, are set to provide a more efficient and shorter course of treatment, which is expected to result in improved patient outcomes and fewer side effects. Public health officials believe that this shorter treatment duration will address two of the biggest challenges in TB care: patient compliance and the risk of mortality associated with long-term treatments. According to Dr Sandeep Sangale, Joint Director of TB and Leprosy in Maharashtra, the new regimen is not only more effective but also safer compared to previous MDR-TB treatments. “The six-month treatment has been proven to be a faster and more reliable method of curing drug-resistant TB. This will be a game-changer in terms of patient compliance, as the previous treatment duration was up to two years. By reducing this, we anticipate better adherence and faster recovery,” he said. The initiative follows a successful pilot project that was conducted in the Mumbai TB division last year. The results have been overwhelmingly positive, prompting the state government to extend the treatment to all drug-resistant TB patients across Maharashtra starting next month.
The state has already made strides in improving TB treatment infrastructure. The Public Health Department has established 21 nodal drug-resistant TB (DRTB) centres across Maharashtra, as well as 42 district-level centres, ensuring that these new treatments are accessible to patients across the state. These centres play a critical role in administering and monitoring the new treatment regimen, further ensuring its success. Another important aspect of this initiative is the nutritional support provided to TB patients under the Nikshay Poshan Yojana. Since 2018, TB patients enrolled under the NTEP scheme have been receiving ₹1,000 per month through Direct Benefit Transfer (DBT) to help with their nutritional needs. In 2024 alone, the Maharashtra government disbursed a staggering ₹29.01 crore to TB patients through this programme, helping to ensure they receive the proper nutrition required to recover from the disease.
Dr Nitin Bhalerao, Assistant Director of TB and Leprosy in Maharashtra, shared that the new six-month regimen is a positive development that promises to make the treatment of drug-resistant TB more accessible and manageable for patients across the state. “The pilot project in Mumbai showed us that these new treatments are both effective and well-received. We are confident that rolling this out statewide will yield even better results in terms of treatment adherence and patient recovery,” he said. The introduction of this shortened treatment regimen is expected to have a lasting impact not just on the health of individuals but on the broader public health landscape of Maharashtra. With TB remaining a significant health challenge in India, initiatives like these are crucial to accelerating progress towards the goal of TB elimination by 2030. In a state that has already been a leader in tuberculosis management, Maharashtra’s new approach could serve as a model for other regions facing similar challenges.
