‘Increased monthly allowance for TB patients will improve treatment outcomes’

The decision to increase the monthly nutritional allowance for tuberculosis patients will positively impact treatment responses and mortality rates in the state, said Dr Surya Kant, head of the department of respiratory medicine at King George’s Medical University (KGMU). This department at KGMU is one of five selected ‘Centres of Excellence’ identified in the country for research into eliminating drug-resistant tuberculosis (DR-TB) as part of the Prime Minister’s goal for a TB-free India by 2025.
The Centre of Excellence is headed by Dr Surya Kant, who is also the chairman of the Zonal Task Force (North Zone) of the National Tuberculosis Elimination Programme. He announced this after the government of India upgraded the monthly nutritional allowance for TB patients in the country; previously, patients received a monthly allowance of ₹500, which has now been increased to ₹1,000, along with an additional budget for nutritional support to be divided between the Centre and the states. Additionally, family members of TB patients will also be entitled to social support, as they too are at risk of new infections.
“The increased monthly allowance, along with the additional budget provided by the Central government under the PMTBMBA (Pradhan Mantri TB Mukht Bharat Abhiyaan), will help address malnutrition in TB patients, leading to better treatment responses, lower mortality rates, and improved long-term treatment outcomes,” said Dr Surya Kant, who oversees six states and three union territories as the chairman of the North Zone Zonal Task Force.
He informed that the Centre of Excellence at KGMU has undertaken coordination of training, monitoring, management, and research across 67 medical colleges in UP alone. “TB specialists and health workers involved in TB treatment are being trained under this programme in all 75 districts,” he said. The Department of Respiratory Medicine at KGMU was selected as one of the Centres of Excellence by the International Union Against Tuberculosis and Lung Disease and the United States Agency for International Development, with support from the Ministry of Health and Family Welfare, Government of India.
Dr Surya Kant added, “Malnutrition and TB are two sides of the same coin. Malnutrition increases the risk of developing TB, and TB causes weakness and weight loss, which worsens malnutrition.” The increase in the monthly allowance will be implemented on November 1, 2024, and will apply to all new beneficiaries, as well as those whose treatment duration exceeds six months.