ITRDC plans to raise Rs 500 cr to develop drug combination for tuberculosis

According to WHO's Global Tuberculosis Report 2016, India has the highest burden of TB in the world

India TB Research and Development Corporation (ITRDC), an initiative of Indian Council of Medical Research (ICMR), is planning to raise Rs 500 crore to develop a drug combination to cure the dreaded disease tuberculosis (TB) in the next 5-7 years.

"The ITRDC needs Rs 500-crore fund to create new treatment regimen for multi-drug-resistant TB and extensively drug resistant TB. The government is likely to grant 50 per cent of the fund while the rest of Rs 250 crore will be raised from other agencies," Department of Health Research secretary and ICMR director-general Soumya Swaminathan told Business Standard.

Swaminathan said that