Tuberculosis--fighting a losing battle?

Tuberculosis has resurfaced as a "global emergency" in recent years not only in terms of increase in number of cases world-wide but also the emergence of the deadly multidrug-resistant tuberculosis. World Health Organisation (WHO) has issued a call for the global community to step up its vigilance against the disease. Chemotherapy is the most powerful tool in the fight against tuberculosis and should be used with utmost care and under stringent conditions. It is not enough just to prescribe the correct medication, but more importantly, the patient must be closely monitored for compliance and progress. Any facility which provides for the treatment of tuberculosis must have a good working mechanism to detect treatment defaulter and take immediate remedial action. Only then can we maintain a high standard of control of the disease and prevent the emergence of drug-resistant organisms.