Batting for better diagnostic services which are affordable and easily accessible, the Parliamentary standing committee on Health and Family Welfare’s report on Implementation of Pradhan Mantri TB Mukt Bharat Abhigyan presented in Rajya Sabha on September 21 noted that the BCG vaccine (bacille Calmette-Guerin, which is a vaccine for tuberculosis (TB) disease, does not provide adequate protection to adolescents and adults who are at high risk of developing TB disease.
“In view thereof, the Committee suggests expediting the research programme to study the effectiveness of BCG and, based on the result, to consider a booster dose of recombinant BCG vaccine in the universal immunisation programme. This could be an effective and cheaper option to control TB,” it said.
The Committee has also recommended expediting the newly developed skin tests extensively for those in close contact with TB patients and risk groups.
