CSIR-Indian Institute of Chemical Technology (IICT) distributed masks at the Gandhi Medical College and Hospital on Wednesday to raise public awareness about the consequences of tuberculosis on the occasion of the World TB Day.
This awareness campaign is important as the current pandemic has restricted the progress to achieve an end to tuberculosis in the country and the world over.
IICT is committed to fight tuberculosis and a significant progress towards limiting TB was achieved through synthesis of bedaquiline, said senior scientist M. Chandrasekharam.
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It is the first drug approved by FDA after a gap of over 40 years for the treatment of multi-drug resistant tuberculosis. CSIR-IICT team led by its director S. Chandrasekhar had developed a process for simpler transformations and higher yields to ensure ready availability of the drug. Inclusion of bedaquiline in combination drug therapy is known to treat the patients infected by these multi-drug resistant strains, he said.
Gandhi Hospital superintendent M. Raja Rao was present on the occasion.