Gasping For Breath

In this episode, we historically trace the importance of nutrition for the treatment of tuberculosis which disappeared as soon as the medicines were found for the disease. We talk about the present-day crisis, particularly in Chhattisgarh, where TB patients who are highly malnourished are coming for treatment, and many not recovering well. After repeated advocacy of activists and doctors, the government acknowledged the importance of nutrition in tuberculosis treatment. The government introduced Nikshay Poshan Yojana, where every patient is supposed to get Rs 500 per month. Is that enough though?

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Bad housing is one of the major drivers in the spread of TB. In this episode, we talk to experts on how it was the non-medical interventions such as better housing and nutrition which pulled down the TB epidemic in Europe, not medicines as much. We also met a family in Mumbai who had three cases of drug-resistant tuberculosis in their house in a span of three years.

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"A new drug to treat tuberculosis -petromanid- was approved by the USFDA last week. In this special episode of the podcast, we speak to Leena Menghaney, South Asia head of Médecins Sans Frontières'  Access Campaign to understand the implications of this new drug for India's TB patients.

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This episode talks about the emergence of drug-resistant tuberculosis in India. This emergence coincided with the launch of Directly Observed Treatment Shortcourse or DOTS programme in the late 90s. This programme completely ignored the treatment for complicated drug-resistant tuberculosis. The treatment for this form of TB is much harder and the cure rates lower. The problem of drug-resistant tuberculosis in some parts of the country has reached the proportion of a public health emergency.

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In this first episode of 'Gasping for Breath', India's first podcast on state of tuberculosis and it's treatment in India, we go back in time to understand the emergence of this deadly disease. Menaka Rao, senior health journalist and host will also tell you about the wild myths surrounding the disease. In the early 19th century, the only recourse was staying in a sanatorium for years or more. Then the cause of the disease was found - a tiny bacteria and the focus of doctors turned towards killing the bacteria. But do medicines and technology alone help control the disease.

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