Activists Write To PM Modi Over TB Drug Shortage Ahead Of World TB Day

Ahead of World TB Day today (March 24), activists, public health experts, tuberculosis survivors and people living with HIV have submitted a letter to Prime Minister Narendra Modi seeking action to ensure uninterrupted supply of first-line TB drugs DOTS centres. Stock-out of drugs for drug resistant TB was reported in September last year too.

The current stock-out of regular TB drugs is likely to last for at least three months more, as indicated by the Central TB Division. “As a country with the highest burden of tuberculosis in the world, we are deeply disturbed that India is experiencing stock-outs of critically required drugs to treat people with TB,” read the letter sent to Modi on March 22.