Is it worthwhile to decentralize drug-resistant TB services?

Alice Sagwidza-Tembe, CNS Correspondent, Swaziland
Multidrug-resistant TB (MDR-TB) and extensively drug-resistant TB (XDR-TB) are global challenges. Treatment of both requires prolonged and toxic therapies. Centralised inpatient treatment, delivered by specialist doctors and nurses in a specialised hospital, is still a common practice in many MDR-TB high-burden countries.

"I felt like a prisoner in the paediatric ward…"

Alice Tembe, CNS Correspondent, Swaziland
Eleanor Frame
…So said Eleanor Frame, an 18 year old teenager from UK, who survived TB. Eleanor shared her story at the 47th Union World Conference on Lung Health in Liverpool. She said that she had no idea about what TB was, and nether did her classmates, until she herself was diagnosed with it at the age of 14.

New initiative seeks to coalese cancer organizations on tobacco tax

Henry Neondo, CNS Correspondent, Kenya
A group of international cancer organizations today launched a new initiative to encourage governments to increase taxes on tobacco. Tobacco causes 20 percent of all cancer deaths and more than 4,000 people die from tobacco-related cancer each day.

[Podcast] Ending TB warrants integrated responses beyond Ministries of Health: Dr Mario Raviglione


Dr Mario Raviglione, Director of the Global Tuberculosis Programme at the World Health Organization (WHO) was in conversation with CNS Managing Editor Shobha Shukla at the sidelines of 47th Union World Conference on Lung Health in Liverpool, UK. This interview is part of CNS Inspire series. [To listen or download the podcast, click here]

Transforming hope into reality for patients of drug-resistant TB

Shobha Shukla, Citizen News Service - CNS
Multidrug-resistant TB (MDR-TB) remains a public health crisis. As per WHO’s Global TB Report 2016, 480,000 people fell ill with MDR-TB in 2015, with 3 countries - India, China, and Russia - carrying the major burden and together accounting for nearly half of all MDR-TB cases globally.

Health ministers commit to reverse the tide of lung diseases and NCDs

Shobha Shukla, Citizen News Service - CNS
The first press meet at the 47th Union World Conference on Lung Health, being currently held in Liverpool, saw the Ministers of Health from Philippines, Sri Lanka and Zimbabwe reflect on the successes and challenges of responding to the global epidemic of TB, tobacco related diseases and Non-Communicable Diseases (NCDs).

Great strides in MDR-TB treatment

Alice Tembe, CNS Correspondent, Swaziland
Final results of a potentially game-changing study on a nine-months treatment regimen for multi-drug resistant TB (MDR-TB) were announced at the 47th Union World Conference on Lung Health in Liverpool, UK. This study  carried out in nine Francophone countries has shown a treatment success rate of 82% with limited adverse side effects - a significant stride towards stopping TB.

Without community participation we cannot end TB

Shobha Shukla, Citizen News Service - CNS
Community focus was the overriding theme at the Annual TB Alliance Stakeholders Association Meeting held in Liverpool, just ahead of the 47th Union World Conference on Lung Health. Community representatives, Maurine Murenga and Sarah Mulera, shared their experiences from the ground, regarding the powerful, yet under utilised, role which affected and key populations can play to turn the tide against TB.

"Be faithful in small things because it is in them that your strength lies"

Shobha Shukla - CNS (Citizen News Service)
[Watch this video interview] [Listen or download this audio podcast]
"Be faithful in small things because it is in them that your strength lies" are the immortal words of Saint Mother Teresa, which sum up what Dr Kuldeep Singh Sachdeva asserts to hasten the pace of progress for a disease-free India. Dr KS Sachdeva has healed thousands of patients in a tertiary level hospital in India’s capital Delhi, has served an illustrious inning at India's national tuberculosis programme and is  now serving as Deputy Director General at the national AIDS programme in India.

Countries to set stage for widespread legal action against tobacco industry

Aarti Dhar, CNS Correspondent, India
[First published in India Saga on 20th October 2016]
Representatives of close to 179 countries will meet next month for the seventh session of the Conference of the Parties of the global tobacco treaty to take some of the most powerful steps in tobacco control since the World Health Organization treaty’s adoption. At the Conference, to be held at Greater Noida near India’s National Capital New Delhi from November 7 to 12, countries will advance a provision to hold the tobacco industry civilly and criminally liable for its abuses.

Unsung heroes in the fight against TB

Catherine Mwauyakufa, CNS Correspondent, Zimbabwe
“Time is of essence in my job and I am conscious of it,” said Jason, who strives to see TB infection rates go down. Jaison Tarovedzera is a dedicated member of the Riders for Health team in Harare under the International Union Against Tuberculosis and Lung Disease (The Union) Zimbabwe. In an exclusive interview, Jaison told me that he rides to save lives and will ride until he is satisfied that the rate of new TB infections is minimal. I told Jaison that the initiative is to End TB by 2030, to which he replied, “Ending TB once for all would be ideal. However, for now I am focusing on lowering the rates of TB infection in the communities. No one must die of TB and that is why I ride with dedication”.

TB cases in India under-reported, says WHO

Aarti Dhar, CNS Correspondent, India
[First published in The India Saga]
A latest global report on TB has said that TB cases in India are under-reported with 6.1 million new TB cases notified to the national authorities and reported to the World Health Organisation (WHO) in 2015. Notified TB cases increased from 2013 to 2015, mostly due to a 34% increase in notifications. India made TB a notified disease in 2012. TB remains one of the top 10 causes of deaths worldwide in 2015. The WHO Global TB Report 2016 has revised the number of incident (new) cases of TB in India to 2.8 million cases in 2015 and 2.9 million cases in 2014 as against the earlier estimated figures of 2.2 million cases in 2014.

Organized interference by tobacco industry in health issues brings death

Francis Okoye, CNS Correspondent, Nigeria
Tobacco industry all over the world, is bringing death through its interference in health policies. Panelists at a webinar, recently organised by Citizen News Service on tobacco industry interference in WHO framework convention on tobacco control (FCTC), said that tobacco industries have hijacked political and legislative processes, exaggerated the economic importance of tobacco industry, and manipulated public opinion to gain an appearance of respectability.

[Podcast] Challenging nevertheless but possible to make a difference in public health


Dr KS Sachdeva is the Deputy Director General at National AIDS Control Programme of Ministry of Health and Family Welfare, Government of India. Prior to that he made seminal contribution to shaping the national tuberculosis programme of India and also had two decades of clinical work at a prestigious tertiary level hospital in India's capital Delhi. This audio podcast features his interview as part of CNS Inspire series. [Click here to download or listen to this podcast]

[Focus] Challenging nevertheless but possible to make a difference in public health


Burden of heart diseases: Risk factors and prevention

Catherine Mwauyakufa, CNS Correspondent, Zimbabwe
To say that more poor people succumb to non communicable diseases (NCDs), as compared to the rich, is not an understatement. One would wonder, why the co-relation—the diseases are non communicable and so how do they end up killing more poor people. Poverty stricken communities have little or limited health facilities hence access to quality healthcare to these people living is always a constraint and at times not available.

[Podcast] Scientific highlights of 47th Union World Conference on Lung Health


This is an audio recording of an exclusive webinar for media where WHO Global TB Programme and International Union Against TB and Lung Disease (The Union) experts shared the scientific highlights of the 47th Union World Conference on Lung Health in Liverpool, UK. [Click here to listen or download this audio podcast]

[Webinar] Scientific highlights of 47th Union World Conference on Lung Health



Safeguard your heartbeats

Alice Tembe, CNS Correspondent, Swaziland
Cardio vascular diseases (CVDs) are one of the major chronic ailments that have strongly impacted today’s generation, along with other non communicable diseases (NCDs) like cancer, hypertension and diabetes. Notably, in over 80% of the cases, the diseases are lifestyle related. Small changes in lifestyle practices and choices could effectively minimize risk factors.

Protecting people from tobacco is a public health imperative

Pritha Roy Choudhury, CNS Correspondent, India
A chance meeting with Rosalina Diengdoh (name changed), a 50 year old woman  from the north eastern state of Meghalaya in India, who is in Delhi for the treatment of her son, reaffirmed my doubts regarding the impact of pictorial warnings on packed tobacco products to dissuade people from using the same. It was in April 2016, after a two year battle, that the Indian government  finally acceded to quadruple in size the graphic health warnings on tobacco packaging.

The productive and positive sides of ageing discussed in Vietnam

Prakash Tyagi, CNS Correspondent, India
Help Age International Asia Pacific Regional Office, United Nations Population Fund (UNFPA), Government of Vietnam, Asian Forum of Parliamentarians for Population and Development (AFPPD) and World Health Organization (WHO) along with a number of other organizations and network partners organized a regional conference on ageing and associated aspects.

AIDS is a political disease and a medical scourge, says US Congressman

Shobha Shukla - CNS (Citizen News Service)
[Watch video interview] [Audio podcast]
So said US Congressman Dr Jim McDermott while receiving the Lifetime Achievement Award at the 9th National Conference of AIDS Society of India (ASICON 2016) in Mumbai.

TB deaths climbing up, not declining: "Governments need to get their heads out of the sand..." says MSF

Ashok Ramsarup, CNS, South Africa
WHO's latest Global Tuberculosis Report reveals some shocking statistics: Tuberculosis (TB) deaths jumped to 1.8 million in 2015 from 1.5 million in 2014, with 41% of people estimated to have fallen sick with the disease being left undiagnosed and untreated. The treatment gap for people with drug-resistant TB remains morbidly high – in 2015, just 20% of people sick with drug-resistant forms of TB received the treatment they needed. The WHO Global TB Report is a wake-up call to break the status quo in how TB, and its drug-resistant forms, are being diagnosed and treated.

Point-of-care HIV testing: Important 'cog in the wheel' towards ending AIDS by 2030

Shobha Shukla - CNS (Citizen News Service)
HIV-related point-of-care testing can potentially play a major role in accelerating the pace of progress towards achieving the '90-90-90' targets of the UNAIDS (joint United Nations programme on HIV/AIDS). Increasing access to quality and accurate diagnostics which function in low-resource settings is undoubtedly a critically important step in HIV care.

[Podcast] Listen to US Congressman why AIDS is a political disease and medical scourge


Listen to another special podcast featuring US Congressman Dr Jim McDermott who was conferred upon the coveted award of AIDS Society of India (ASI) in Mumbai at 9th National Conference of ASI. He spoke with CNS Managing Editor Shobha Shukla on key learnings from his experience of fighting AIDS in not only Asian nations but also African and in US. This interview is part of CNS Inspire Series. [Click here to listen to this podcast]

[Focus] AIDS is a political disease and medical scourge: says US Congressman Dr Jim McDermott at ASICON 2016



[Podcast] Interview with first doctor who began caring for people with HIV in Kerala


This podcast interview features the first doctor in Kerala who came forward to care for people living with HIV,  more than 25 years ago. Dr R Sajith Kumar is presently a senior Professor and Head of Department of Infectious Diseases, Government Medical College and Hospital, Kottayam, Kerala (India). He spoke with CNS (Citizen News Service) on sidelines of 9th National Conference of AIDS Society of India (ASICON 2016) in Mumbai, India. This interview is part of CNS Inspire Series. [Click here to listen to this podcast]

[Focus] Quality training in HIV care is key now to end AIDS



Saving the next generation from HIV

Shobha Shukla, CNS (Citizen News Service)
The joint United Nations programme on HIV/AIDS (UNAIDS) is mobilizing governments and other partners to achieve new set of targets, referred to as, '90-90-90 by 2020', but with current set of tools, approaches, funding commitments, and challenge that HIV poses to the world, the goal seems certainly a bold and ambitious one. '90-90-90 by 2020' targets include increasing to 90% the proportion of people living with HIV who know their diagnosis, increasing to 90% the proportion of people living with HIV (PLHIV) receiving antiretroviral treatment (ART) and increasing to 90% the proportion of people on HIV treatment who have an undetectable viral load.

One-third of India’s population found to be hypertensive: Survey

Aarti Dhar, CNS Correspondent, India
[First published in The India Saga, New Delhi, India]
One-third of India’s population has been found to be hypertensive with 60% of these people unaware of their status, either due to lack of awareness or poor access to good screening tests, a latest survey has found. The initial findings of the Great Indian BP (Blood Pressure) Survey, conducted by the Cardiological Society of India in 24 states on September 21, 2015, found 33% of respondents to be hypertensive. This alarmingly high figure reinforces the need for aggressive cardio-preventive measures.

ASICON 2016 calls for making HIV a chronic, manageable condition in reality

Shobha Shukla, CNS (Citizen News Service)
The AIDS Society of India (ASI) and all delegates of 9th National Conference of ASI (ASICON 2016) commended the government of India for finally approving the HIV/AIDS Bill – which will help in reducing discrimination faced by people living with HIV (PLHIV). ASICON 2016 is being organized in Mumbai, India during 7-9 October 2016 with the theme of "Eliminating HIV: Progress and reality".

[Podcast] Tobacco industry interference in WHO FCTC


This is the audio recording of an exclusive webinar on 4th October 2016 on a critically important issue of: tobacco industry interference in the global tobacco treaty (formally called WHO Framework Convention on Tobacco Control or FCTC). Click here to listen to this audio podcast. Thanks.

[Webinar] Tobacco industry interference in the WHO FCTC



Take care of your heart

Tuyeimo Haidula, CNS Correspondent, Namibia
Take care of your heart instead of burning it out… This was the message delivered by a panel of experts during a webinar organised by CNS and the International Union Against Tuberculosis and Lung Disease (The Union), in lead up to World Heart Day. Cardiovascular diseases (CVDs) are the number one cause of death globally. In 2012, 31% of all global deaths were attributed to CVDs – this equates to roughly 17.5 million deaths.

Kenya has done it, when will the rest of us?

Shobha Shukla - CNS (Citizen News Service)
Dr Immaculate Kathure, Child TB Services
Coordinator, Kenya National TB Programme
Yes, this question merits serious thought, even as Kenya Ministry of Health recently announced the launch of fixed dose combination (FDC) of first-ever child-friendly TB medicines, making Kenya the first country in the world to roll out these products nationally. Starting 1st of October 2016, all children in Kenya, who will be initiated on TB treatment, will be given the improved formulation that is easier for caregivers to give and for children to take, and is expected to help improve treatment outcomes of childhood TB.

[Podcast] Preventing cardio-vascular disease is a public health imperative: Prof NN Khanna at ISC 2016


This CNS Inspire episode presents eminent intervention cardiologist Professor Narendra Nath Khanna who is well recognized for his passion for doing all what it takes to ensure that cardiac care is within the reach of common person in India. With decades of experience behind him today he is a noted advisor to Apollo Group of Hospitals and a Senior Consultant in Cardiology and Coordinator of Vascular Services at Indraprastha Apollo Hospital, New Delhi, India. CNS Managing Editor Shobha Shukla spoke with Prof NN Khanna on the sidelines of 11th National Conference of Indian Society of Cardiology. [Click here to listen or download this podcast]