India: Watch two NDTV news reports
In India, Tuberculosis has a very high mortality rate, and despite government efforts, it continues to claim lives across the country. One major reason for this is lack of proper diagnosis, due to faulty tests. A new test recommended by the World Health Organisation is yet to take off in the country, and that has put a big question mark on India's ability to fight with a disease that claims lakhs of lives each year across the country.
While the nation's attention is focussed on the tragedy in Uttarakhand, a similar catastrophe is unfolding in the health sector. There is a huge shortage of life-saving drugs meant for tuberculosis patients, not because there is not enough medicine manufactured in the country but simply because of bureaucratic delays in procurement. Patients are suffering and worse, drug-resistance is growing alarmingly. Treatment that should cost upto Rs. 2000 per patient will end up costing upto one lakh rupees.
