Health Minister Dinesh Gundu Rao has written to the Centre seeking supply of drug-sensitive Tuberculosis (DSTB) drugs on an urgent basis to Karnataka. This follows the Centre’s latest communication asking the State to procure drugs locally for the next three months. As the communication has been made after the model code of conduct (MCC) came into force, the State is finding it hard to procure the required quantity of drugs, the Minister said.
In a letter to the Union Health Minister Mansukh Mandaviya, Mr. Rao has pointed out the frequent interruption in the supply of anti-TB drugs to Karnataka is affecting thousands of TB patients .“While there has been frequent interruption in the supply of anti-TB drugs to Karnataka since 2021, recently, Karnataka has received two communications from the Centre asking the State to procure DSTB drugs for the next three months . The second communication has been made after the model code of conduct came into effect,” he said in the letter.
Karnataka notifies more than 80,000 patients annually and around 6,800 TB patients on a monthly basis. As these patients need to be provided continuous treatment, the State has intensified its efforts to procure anti-TB drugs both at the State and the district level. A letter from Mission Director, National Health Mission, has also been sent to the Union Joint Secretary (RCH) regarding permission for utilising the approved Record of Proceedings (ROP) of 2024-2025 to procure these medications..
