Union Health Minister JP Nadda launched Cartridge Based Nucleic Acid Amplification Test (CBNAAT) machines for the quick diagnosis of Tuberculosis within two hours.

• The CBNAAT is a revolutionary rapid molecular test which detects Mycobacterium tuberculosis and rifampicin drug resistance, simultaneously. This test is fully automated and provides results within two hours.
• At present 121 CBNAAT machine are functioning and five hundred more such machines were launched by the Minister.
• Nadda also launched a new anti-TB drug Bedaquiline, which is a new anti-TB drug for treatment of Multi-drug-resistant tuberculosis.
• This drug is indicated for use in the treatment of drug-resistant TB. The drug will be made available in six public hospitals in Delhi, Mumbai, Chennai, Guwahati and Ahmedabad.

The Health Minister said government is aggressively taking initiatives to fight against TB.

Did You Know?

• TB is a disease usually caused by an organism called Mycobacterium tuberculosis. TB is an abbreviation of the word Tuberculosis and is how people often refer to the disease.
• It is very difficult to diagnose TB by a person’s symptoms on their own. This is because some other diseases have the same symptoms.
• TB can usually be cured. The treatment usually consists of a combination of drugs that must be taken for at least six months. But the treatment will only be successful if the drugs are taken exactly as required for the entire length of time.
• If someone has drug resistant TB it means that the bacteria in their body won’t be affected by certain drugs that they are resistant to. The drugs just won’t work. There are two main reasons why people develop it. It can be because the person doesn’t take their drugs properly. It can also be that the bacteria that they are infected with, have come from someone who has already got drug resistant TB.