Mumbai's JJ Hospital Staff Rally to Support Youngest TB Patients with Nutritional Aid
In a heartwarming initiative on the eve of World TB Day, the staff at Mumbai's state-run JJ Hospital took a significant step to transform the painful hospital visits for the city's youngest tuberculosis patients. Many of these children are under five years of age and have endured daily potent antibiotics for up to 20 months, along with monthly scans to monitor their eyesight, nerve conduction, and heart rhythm.
Nutritional Support Initiative Launched
To change this difficult association, 52 hospital staff members contributed amounts ranging from Rs 500 to Rs 5,000, collectively raising Rs 47,000. This fund was used to provide nutritional supplies to 50 of the children. Dr. Chhaya Valvi, head of the paediatric department, explained that the basket included a three-month supply of essential items such as nuts, dates, pulses, oil, and other provisions, aimed at boosting the children's health during their rigorous treatment.
Four Years of Bedaquiline Treatment Program
The Monday get-together marked nearly four years of providing bedaquiline, a relatively new antibiotic for fighting drug-resistant TB, to children under five. JJ Hospital's paediatric department is one of only two centres in India authorised to administer this treatment to this age group, while older children can access it from municipal TB centres. Dr. Sushant Mane, who oversees the paediatric TB programme, reported that 60 children under five have received bedaquiline for durations up to 20 months, depending on disease severity.
Treatment Outcomes and Safety Monitoring
Of these young patients, 30 have been cured of extensively drug-resistant TB infections, though four tragically died due to disseminated TB, where bacteria spread to multiple organs like the liver, bone marrow, or kidneys. The remaining children are at various stages of treatment. Dr. Mane emphasized that none have suffered complications from bedaquiline, thanks to rigorous monitoring. This includes regular checks on eyesight, hearing, nerve conduction, and heart function, with ECGs performed weekly in the first month and monthly thereafter during treatment.
Ongoing Efforts and Broader Impact
The hospital holds a TB outpatient department once a week, attracting 40 patients, with four to five new cases reported weekly. According to BMC data for 2025, children constitute 6% of Mumbai's total TB burden. The 'bedaquiline for under-five' program aims to demonstrate the drug's safety for this age group, supported by research from Wadia Children's Hospital in Parel. Once approved by the Drugs Controller General of India, this medicine could be distributed more widely, offering hope for many more young patients battling drug-resistant TB.
