Background: The average expenditure incurred by patients in low- and middle-income countries towards diagnosis and treatment of TB ranges from $55 to $8198. This out-of-pocket expenditure leads to impoverishment of households. One of the three main targets of the End TB Strategy (2016–2035) is that no TB-affected household suffers catastrophic costs due to TB. Study setting was free care under national tuberculosis program (NTP), Puducherry district, India. Objectives: The objectives of the study were among the newly diagnosed and previously treated tuberculosis (TB) patients, to (a) estimate patient costs during diagnosis and intensive phase of treatment, (b) determine the proportion of households experiencing catastrophic costs, and (c) explore coping strategies. Methods: An explanatory mixed methods design comprising both quantitative cost description and qualitative descriptive component was used. Catastrophic cost was defined as total TB care costs exceeding 20% of annual household income. Results: Of 102 TB patients included, two-thirds (69%) were male, 6% were HIV positive, and 45% reported at least one episode of hospitalization for TB care. The median (IQR) total cost of TB care was US$195 (52.1, 492.9) with a direct cost of US$65.3 (22.3, 156.5) and indirect cost of US$50.2 (0.9, 295.1). Overall, 32.4% of households experienced catastrophic costs due to TB care, significantly higher in patients with HIV coinfection (p = 0.009) and hospitalization (p = 0.009). Pledging jewels and borrowing money were major coping strategies. Cash assistance was the expected remedy from the patient perspective. Conclusion: Despite free TB care under NTP, more than a third incurred catastrophic costs towards TB care.

Background: Childhood multidrug-resistant TB (MDR-TB) still affects around 25000 children every year across the globe. Though the treatment success rates for drug-resistant TB (DR-TB) in children are better than adults, children and adolescents face unique hurdles during DR-TB (MDR-TB, Pre-XDR TB and XDR-TB) treatment. This study aimed to understand the patients, guardians and healthcare providers’ perspectives about DR-TB treatment journey of patients and caregivers. Methods: This is a qualitative study involving in depth-interviews of purposively selected adolescents (n = 6), patients guardians (for children and adolescents, n = 5) and health care providers (n = 8) of Médecins Sans Frontières (MSF) clinic, Mumbai, India. In-depth face to face interviews were conducted in English or Hindi language using interview guides during September-November 2019. The interviews were audio-recorded after consent. Thematic network analysis was used to summarize textual data. ATLAS.ti (version 7) was used for analysis. Result: The age of adolescent patients ranged from 15–19 years and four were female. Five guardians (of three child and two adolescent patients) and eight healthcare providers (including clinicians- 2, DOT providers-2, counselors-2 and programme managers-2) were interviewed. The overarching theme of the analysis was: Challenging DR-TB treatment journey which consisted of four sub-themes: 1) physical-trauma, 2) emotional-trauma, 3) unavailable social-support and 4) non-adapted healthcare services. Difficulties in compounding of drugs were noted for children while adolescents shared experiences around disruption in social life due to disease and treatment. Most of the patients and caregivers experienced treatment fatigue and burnout during the DR-TB treatment. Participants during interviews gave recommendations to improve care. Discussion: The TB programmes must consider the patient and family as one unit when designing the package of care for paediatric DR-TB. Child and adolescent friendly services (paediatric-formulations, age-specific counselling tools and regular interaction with patients and caregivers) will help minimizing burnout in patients and caregivers.

With more than 200 million cases a year, malaria is an important global health concern, especially among pregnant women. The forested tribal areas of Andhra Pradesh, Telangana and Chhattisgarh in India are affected by malaria and by an on-going chronic conflict which seriously limits access to health care. The burden of malaria and anemia among pregnant women in these areas is unknown; moreover there are no specific recommendations for pregnant women in the Indian national malaria policy. The aim of this study is to measure the burden of malaria and anemia among pregnant women presenting in mobile clinics for antenatal care in a conflict-affected corridor in India. This is a descriptive study of routine programme data of women presenting at first visit for antenatal care in Médecins sans Frontières mobile clinics during 1 year (2015). Burden of malaria and anemia were estimated using rapid diagnostic tests (SD BIOLINE® and HemoCue® respectively). Among 575 pregnant women (median age: 26 years, interquartile range: 25-30) 29% and 22% were in their first and second pregnancies respectively. Mid-Upper Arm Circumference (MUAC) was below 230 mm in 74% of them. The prevalence of anemia was 92.4% (95% Confidence Intervals (CI): 89.9–94.3), while severe anemia was identified in 6.9% of the patients. The prevalence of malaria was 29.3% (95%CI: 25.7–33.2) with 64% caused by isolated P. falciparum, 35% by either P. falciparum or mixed malaria and 1% by either P. vivax, or P.malariae or P. ovale. Malaria test was positive in 20.8% of asymptomatic cases. Malaria was associated with severe anemia (prevalence ratio: 2.56, 95%CI: 1.40–4.66, p < 0.01). Systematic screening for malaria and anemia should be integrated into maternal and child health services for conflict affected populations in highly endemic tribal areas. Interventions should include the use of rapid diagnostic test for all pregnant women at every visit, regardless of symptoms. Further studies should evaluate the impact of this intervention alone or in combination with intermittent malaria preventive treatment.

Patients on linezolid-containing drug-resistant TB (DR-TB) regimen often develop adverse-events, particularly peripheral and optic neuropathy. Programmatic data and experiences of linezolid-associated optic neuropathy from high DR-TB burden settings are lacking. The study aimed to determine the frequency of and risk-factors associated with linezolid-associated optic neuropathy and document the experiences related to treatment/care of DR-TB patients on linezolid-containing regimens. This was a retrospective cohort study using routine clinical and laboratory data in Médecins Sans Frontières (MSF) HIV/DR-TB clinic in collaboration with Lilavati Hospital & Research Center, Mumbai, India. All DR-TB patients on linezolid-containing treatment regimens were included in the study and underwent routine evaluations for systemic and/or ocular complaints. Ophthalmological evaluation by a consultant ophthalmologist included visual-acuity screening, slit-lamp examination and dilated fundus examination. During January 2013-April 2016, 86 of 136 patients (with/without HIV co-infection) initiated linezolid-containing DR-TB treatment. The median age of these 86 patients was 25 (20–35) years and 47% were males. 20 percent of them had HIV co-infection. Of 86, 24 (27.9%) had at least one episode of ocular complaints (the majority blurred-vision) and among them, five (5.8%) had optic neuropathy. Patients received appropriate treatment and improvements were observed. None of the demographic/clinical factors were associated with optic neuropathy in Poissons or multivariate binary logistic-regression models. This is the first report focusing on optic neuropathy in a cohort of complex DR-TB patients, including patients co-infected with HIV, receiving linezolid-containing regimens. In our study, one out of four patients on linezolid had at least one episode of ocular complaints; therefore, systematic monitoring of patients by primary physicians/nurses, and access to specialized diagnostic-services by specialists are needed. As linezolid will be increasingly added to treatment regimens of DR-TB patients, programmes should allocate adequate resources for early diagnosis, prevention and management of this disabling adverse event.

Setting: Seven intervention districts with intensified childhood tuberculosis (TB) case-finding strategies implemented by a non-governmental organisation and seven control districts under the National Tuberculosis Programme, Nepal. Objectives: To assess the differences in childhood TB case registrations and case registration rates per 100 000 population between two time periods (Year 1 = March 2012–March 2013 and Year 2 = March 2013–March 2014) in intervention and control districts. Design: Retrospective record review using routinely collected data. Results: Childhood TB cases increased from 271 to 360 between Years 1 and 2 in the intervention districts (case registration rate from 18.2 to 24.2/100 000) and from 97 to 113 in the control districts (13.4 to 15.6/100 000): the increases were significantly higher in the intervention districts compared with the control districts. The increases were also significantly higher in children aged 0–4 years and in those with smear-negative pulmonary TB and extra-pulmonary TB. Of the various case-finding strategies, household contact screening, private-public mix services and mobile health chest camps produced the highest yield of TB. Conclusion: A package of intensified case-finding strategies in children was associated with an increase in childhood TB case registrations in Nepal. Additional diagnostic approaches to increase case registrations also need to be considered.

Routine viral-load (VL) measurements along with enhanced adherence counselling (EAC) are recommended to achieve virological suppression among people living with HIV/AIDS (PLHA) on anti-retroviral therapy (ART). The Mumbai Districts AIDS Control Society along with Médecins Sans Frontières has provided routine VL measurements and EAC to PLHA on ART at King Edward Memorial (KEM) hospital, Mumbai since October-2016. This study aims to describe the initial VL results and impact of EAC on viral suppression and factors associated with initial viral non-suppression among patients with an initial detectable VL, in a cohort of patients tested between October-2016 and September-2018. This is a descriptive study of PLHA on ART who received VL testing and EAC during October-2016 to September-2018. Log-binomial regression was used to identify factors associated with a high VL. Among 3849 PLHA who underwent VL testing, 1603(42%) were female and median age was 42 years (IQR:35–48). Majority were referred for routine testing (3432(89%)) and clinical/immunological failure (233(6%)). Overall, 3402(88%) PLHA had suppressed VL at initial testing. Among 3432 tested for routine monitoring, 3141(92%) had VL suppressed. Of 291 with VL>1000c/ml, 253(87%) received EAC and after repeat VL, 70(28%) had VL1000c/ml and 109 have been switched to second-line ART. CD4 count<500 (aOR-5.0[95%CI 3.8–6.5]), on ART for<5 years (aOR-1.5[1.1–2.0]) and age1000c/ml. Factors associated with follow-up VL suppression included EAC (p<0.05) and being on second-line ART (p<0.05). Results from a routine VL program in public sector in India were encouraging and in line with UNAIDS 90-90-90 targets. Routine VL monitoring along with EAC resulted in early switch to alternative optimised regimens while also preventing unnecessary switches. Along with the vital scale up of routine VL monitoring, implementation of enhanced adherence strategies for patients with detectable viral load should be ensured.