Tonight’s NCN Health report, sponsored by Essential Care Pharmacy and GTM Insurance, brings exciting news from the Ministry of Health: Guyana is taking significant steps towards ending tuberculosis (TB) by 2030 with the introduction of a new treatment regimen.
Dr. Jeetendra Mohanlall, Director of the TB Programme, shared that Guyana has already made substantial progress in reducing TB incidence, achieving a 20% reduction through Directly Observed Treatment, Short-course (DOTs) strategy.
This approach ensures that TB patients adhere to their six-month treatment regimen, leading to successful outcomes.
However, Dr. Mohanlall revealed that a new treatment regimen with a shorter duration is on the horizon.
In a recent episode of Health Matters, Dr. Mohanlall unveiled the details of the new regimen, which involves the use of rifapentine and moxifloxacin.
Remarkably, this regimen achieves the same success rate as the traditional six-month therapy but requires treatment for only four months.
This advancement marks a significant leap forward in TB treatment, promising better outcomes for patients in a shorter timeframe.
The rollout of the new TB treatment regimen is scheduled for this year, offering hope for improved health outcomes and accelerated progress towards TB elimination.
Additionally, Dr. Mohanlall announced plans to introduce new medications for latent TB infection, including a combination pill of rifapentine and isoniazid.
This pill will reduce the pill burden for patients, as it only needs to be taken once weekly for twelve weeks.
As Guyana continues its fight against TB, the Ministry of Health’s proactive approach to adopting innovative treatments underscores its commitment to achieving the goal of TB elimination by 2030.