Will the Minister of HEALTH AND FAMILY WELFARE be pleased to state:
(a) whether the Government proposes to announce Universal Drug Susceptibility Testing (DST) in Mumbai as a pilot project;
(b) if so, the details thereof;
(c) whether the universal DST is a part of the World Health Organisation''s strategy to end TB by 2035; and
(d) if so, the steps taken by the Government in this regard?
ANSWER
THE MINISTER OF STATE IN THE MINISTRY OF HEALTH AND
FAMILY WELFARE
(SHRI FAGGAN SINGH KULASTE)
(a) & (b): Universal Drug Susceptibility Testing (DST) in Mumbai has been introduced by the State Government and endorsed by the Revised National Tuberculosis Control Programme.
It is being conducted by using Cartridge Based Nucleic Acid Amplification Test (CBNAAT) which is fully automated and provides results within two hours about diagnosis of Tuberculosis and also provides information on Rifampicin resistance.
(c) & (d): Yes , universal DST is a part of the World Health Organisations’s strategy to end TB by 2015.
The Government is moving towards Universal Drug Susceptibility Testing (DST) and the following has been undertaken.
- The Laboratory capacity has been expanded with deployment of 628 CB NAAT machines and 51 Line Probe Assay Laboratories.
- Focusing on screening of high risk population e.g. People Living With HIV AIDS and Children.
- Focusing on optimum utilization of the existing CB NAAT machines.
- Establishment of additional laboratories including 107 CB NAAT machines and 15 liquid Culture Laboratories.
- Development and implementation of newer technical operational guidelines.