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Rising ‘MDR-TB cases’ ring alarm bells

90 cases reported at Aundh Chest Hospital in last week. Expert claims 10 of these cases may test positive, demand inclusion of pvt med sector in TB control prog

Vijay Chavan

Posted On Tuesday, February 21, 2012 at 07:39:59 AM

The recent spate of suspected Multi Drug Resistant Tuberculosis (MDR-TB) cases from Pune, Pimpri-Chinchwad and rural parts of the city has put the Aundh Chest Hospital on its toes. The newly established Programmatic Management of Drug Resistant Tuberculosis Centre (PMDT) or the DOTS Plus Site of the hospital has registered 90 suspected cases of MDR-TB in the past week.

Mahendra Kolhe
The patients suffering from suspected MDR-TB at the PMDT centre or DOTS Plus Site (inset) at the Aundh Chest Hospital

Terming it a serious concern, the in-charge of National TB Control Programme in the city and PCMC’s TB officer Dr Kishor Khilare said that of the 90 cases at least 10 patients are likely to test positive for MDR-TB. He said the existence of such a large number of cases is certainly a serious issue.


He pointed out that so far not a single case has been reported from private hospitals, else the figure could be ten times higher. “The number is alarming. It may increase ten-fold if the private sector is monitored. There is a need to include private sector in the revised TB control programme,” said Dr Khilare.

The Pune-based Intermediate Reference Laboratory (IRL) has started conducting the MDR-TB tests in the PMDT from February 10. The centre will confirm whether the TB is MDR or next level of disease like the Extensively Drug Resistant Tuberculosis (XXDR-TB) or Total Drug Resistant TB (TDR-TB). Of the 90 cases, 30 have been reported from the Pune Municipal Corporation (PCM) limits while 30 each from Pimpri-Chinchwad and Pune rural areas respectively.

The confirmed MDR-TB cases will have to undergo a 27-month treatment. The MDR-TB patient will have to shell out Rs 2 lakh for his/her treatment.

PMC’s medical officer Dr N D Thakur said, “We are appealing the patients to report immediately to the TB ward at various hospitals in the city. Late reporting may make their condition critical.”







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