New ICMR-NIE Alert System to Combat Early TB Fatalities

The Indian Council of Medical Research-National Institute of Epidemiology has launched an alert feature to inform healthcare workers quickly when TB patients are severely ill. This tool aims to shorten the time from diagnosis to medical intervention, potentially reducing the high mortality rate within the first two months of treatment.

The Indian Council of Medical Research-National Institute of Epidemiology (ICMR-NIE) has unveiled an innovative alert system aimed at reducing early tuberculosis (TB) fatalities, which predominantly occur within the initial two months of treatment.

This new feature will notify frontline healthcare workers instantaneously when a patient identified as severely ill following a TB diagnosis. The implementation of this predictive model is expected to expedite hospital admissions for critically ill TB patients, thereby reducing mortality rates.

Data from a study conducted on 57,803 adults diagnosed with TB in public health facilities contributed to the development of this model. Key statistics reveal that 99% of the patients were triaged, and 12% were deemed eligible for referral, leading to a successful treatment and discharge rate exceeding 90%.

(With inputs from agencies.)