Mumbai Activists Write to Union Health Minister as TB Medication Shortage Continues

Activists from Mumbai's Jan Swasthya Andolan have reached out to Union Health Minister, Mansukh Mandaviya, seeking swift action to address the ongoing shortage of critical anti-tuberculosis (TB) medications. This two-month-long scarcity of essential drugs is affecting the victims.

The Jan Swasthya Andolan is an NGO focused on TB treatment and patients' rights. They have reported that numerous DOTS (Directly Observed Treatment Short Course) and DOTS-Plus clinics have been dealing with a medicine shortage since June 2023. These clinics play a vital role in delivering TB treatment and care across the country.

According to reports, shortages are affecting both first-line and second-line TB drugs, including paediatric formulations. This includes critical TB medications like Moxifloxacin, Cycloserine, Linezolid, Clofazamine, Pyridoxine, and Delamanid. They have all been unavailable since June.

It should be noted that India has set a goal of becoming TB-free by 2025. National TB Elimination Programme (NTEP) has made significant progress in recent years. But the shortages are a threat to these achievements. As far as Mumbai is concerned, there have been consistent drug-resistant tuberculosis (DR-TB) cases over the past years. Last year, there were total 5,758 cases in Mumbai. It reported 5,978 cases in 2021, 5,997 in 2019, and 5,343 in 2018.

The situation is particularly dangerous because incomplete treatment can cause drug resistance. Drug resistance occurs when a medication becomes ineffective against a disease. It is a serious issue in the treatment of TB. In addition, it also raises the possibility of the disease spreading to a larger population.

According to the guidelines set by the Centre's Revised National Tuberculosis Control Programme (RNTCP), Linezolid, clofazamine, pyridoxine, and delamanid are second-line medications. This means that they should always be available to ensure the effectiveness of treatment. These medicines are also important to TB therapy regimens, particularly in multidrug-resistant TB (MDR-TB) cases. 

Survivors Against TB (SATB), a group consisting of TB campaigners, professionals, and survivors, has also sent a separate letter to Minister Mandaviya. The letter talks about the consequences of the situation. SATB has urged the ministry to act urgently.