Multi-Drug Resistant Tuberculosis or MDR TB is a growing health issue in the country, say health officials. MDR TB is an advanced form of TB where a patient does not respond to the first line or primary drugs of TB treatment.
As per records with the health ministry, 480 patients are currently undergoing Tuberculosis treatment. At least 5 percent of this group have developed MDR TB.
The health officials say incomplete course of medication when first detected with TB, can lead to MDR TB. MDR TB is known to be life-threatening.
“Once you have developed MDR, living with the bacilli is quite high,” said the Department of Health’s Director General, Dr. Dorji Wangchuk.
He added that compared to ordinary TB, the treatment for MDR TB is more expensive and the medication period is longer. The drug alone costs at least a hundred and fifty thousand ngultrum, and treatment normally lasts two years.
The health ministry, in the meantime, with advanced technology has shortened the drug sensitivity test period to two weeks from two months. This has helped in timely detection and treatment.
The ministry is also working towards providing institutional treatment to MDR TB patients.
The establishment of Solid Culture or MDR TB detection facilities at the two regional Referral Hospitals in Monggar and Gelephu has also been planned.
Last year, 11 MDR TB cases were detected. On an average, 10 cases a year were recorded in the past eight years.
