TB news from India

Business Line: Barely 12% of registered TB patients received cash benefits in 2 months
Scheme rolled out in April; many of rural poor do not have bank accounts.

-- See also: News18.com: TB nutrition scheme to increase reach from 3.5 lakh to 13 lakh beneficiaries in a month

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My Medical Mantra: Provide bedaquiline to all MDR-TB patients: Central govt directive
The central government has issued a directive to all civic and government hospitals to provide bedaquiline to all multidrug-resistant TB patients (MDR-TB).

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Mumbai Mirror: ‘High dose of anti-TB drug a concern for kids’
Study bats for diversity in TB drug administration based on genetics, other factors, instead of a blanket guideline.

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BioSpectrum India: Innovations, multi-stakeholder partnerships key to TB-free India by 2025
The International Union Against Tuberculosis and Lung Disease in partnership with the Ministry of Health and Family Welfare, Government of India, brought together leaders and experts from the government, civil society, and private sector to discuss the role of innovations and partnerships for a TB-Free India.

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Business Line: US company Cepheid to make top-end TB detection cartridges in India
Peter Farrell, Cepheid's Executive Vice-President, said that they would manufacture in India Xpert® MTB/RIF test cartridges which run on the GeneXpert® System.