The TB crisis and women: why gender issues matters more than ever

• Akshata Acharya, a MDR-TB survivor from Maharashtra, shares her experiences of the disease and its impact on her life.
• Acharya’s mental toll and discrimination due to her physical appearance and the disease’s stigma led to her being unable to leave her job.
• Despite the challenges, Acharya was fortunate to have a supportive family and job, highlighting the isolation and isolation it can cause.
• Gender differences and inequalities significantly impact access to TB-related services in India. Men are more affected by TB due to risk factors like smoking and intravenous drug use.
• Women in India face challenges such as underdiagnosis and financial barriers to treatment.
• Studies suggest that women in India face multiple hurdles, including stigma, lack of health-seeking behavior, and poverty.
• Public health specialist Chapal Mehra notes that women are often abandoned when diagnosed with TB, and symptoms are not attended to, leading to the condition worsening.
• Women who manage to access diagnosis and treatment face pressure from society and family to disclose the condition, fearing loss of income and the fear of passing on the disease to their children.
• NGOs call for robust implementation of benefit schemes, with essential medicines and nutritional support reaching the poorest.
• India has set a target of eliminating TB by 2025, with an estimated 331,000 deaths due to TB in 2022.
• The government’s efforts include targeted programs like Nikshay Poshan Yojana and Pradhan Mantri TB Mukt Bharat Abhiyan, which provide additional nutritional support to TB patients.
• The India TB Report 2023 highlights prevention as one of the four critical pillars of India’s fight against TB.