PRmoment's weekly 'Healthcare Communications Review' column looks at the biggest healthcare trends every week and analyses the communications implications. In partnership with SPAG, A Finn Partners Company.

The TB programme in India was the largest health programme in the world, till it was overtaken by the Covid vaccine initiative globally.

It was and remains a model of effective advocacy, but the challenge of MDR and XDR TB remains a serious and life-threatening situation for those suffering from TB. Then there is the challenge of TB-HIV coinfection. And while there is no verified evidence of covid and TB co-infection both are diseases of compromised immune systems and have some similar presenting symptoms.

All these factors make effective communication for TB treatment urgent and life-saving.

India has 27% of the world's TB burden which makes the theme of World TB Day 2023, 'Yes! We can end TB!', particularly important for India.

The communication challenges per WHO include:

1) Accelerate the rollout of the new WHO-recommended shorter all-oral treatment regimens for drug-resistant TB.

2) Accelerated action and multi-sectoral collaboration to combat the TB epidemic.

3)  Advocacy for high-level leadership, and increased investments.

4) You can download all campaign material here.

News of the week

1) SGPGI hospital to adopt TB patients to look after their food needs. Read more here.

2) Covid cases on the rise

• Call out of the week
  

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That's it for this week. Special thanks to SPAG, a FINN Partner company for their ongoing support for this weekly column.