Taming MDR TB

The battle against MDR TB calls for concerted action from multiple stakeholders. Viveka Roychowdhury asks multiple stakeholders what needs to be done to tackle MDR TB in India

‘It only takes 2.1 treatment errors to convert a TB patient into an MDR patient’
– Dr Zarir F Udwadia, Consultant Chest Physician

‘For the first time in 50 years, there is hope’
– Leena Menghaney, Manager (India), Access Campaign, Medecins Sans Frontieres

‘Engaging the private sector is important to prevent TB spread’
– Dr Evan Lee, Vice President of Global Health Programs, Eli Lilly

‘It is important to listen to, respect the patient’s voice’
– Blessina Kumar, Delhi-based health activist and public health consultant

‘Media and the TB control sector – time to build a relationship’
– Bharathi Ghanashyam, Journalists against TB

‘Preventing drug-resistant TB in India’
– Madhukar Pai, Professor, McGill University, Montreal, Canada

‘Pharmacists: an untapped potential in TB care and control’
– Manjiri Gharat, Vice-President and Chairperson, Indian Pharmaceutical Association-Community Pharmacy Division (IPA CPD)

‘Response to TB in India needs bold policies’
– Dr Suvanand Sahu, Team Leader for TB-REACH, Stop TB Partnership