Person‐centred care and short oral treatment for rifampicin‐resistant tuberculosis improve retention in care in Kandahar, Afghanistan

Abstract

Management of rifampicin-resistant tuberculosis (RR-TB) remains one of the main obstacles in reaching the goal of TB elimination by 2035 [1]. There are multiple reasons for unfavourable outcomes, including suboptimal, long or toxic treatment regimens, but also a 'one-size-fits-all' approach to treatment delivery. In 2016, WHO recommended a second-line injectable-containing short regimen for treating multidrug-resistant TB (MDR-TB) [2]. In 2018, building on lessons learnt from experiences with the new and repurposed antituberculosis drugs (such as bedaquiline, delamanid, linezolid and clofazimine), all-oral regimens were recommended [3][4][5]. As the performance of regimens also depends

Short oral treatment regimens for rifampicin-resistant tuberculosis are safe and effective for young children: results from a field-based, non-randomised clinical trial from Kandahar, Afghanistan

“…In the context of Afghanistan, most TB cases occur among women and children, with an estimated 15 000 new paediatric TB cases every year [ 7 ]. Although the estimated number of children with incident RR-TB in the country is unknown, we have observed a high burden of paediatric RR-TB among close household contacts of adult patients with confirmed RR-TB disease in Afghanistan [ 8 ]. Therefore, it was essential to evaluate the effectiveness and safety of shorter RR-TB regimens in children in this context.…”