Nodal (DRTB) Centre
Nodal Drug-Resistant Tuberculosis (DRTB) Centre
The Department of Respiratory Medicine at Maharani Laxmi Bai Medical College houses a fully functional Nodal Drug-Resistant Tuberculosis (DRTB) Centre, dedicated to the comprehensive management of MDR-TB and XDR-TB patients.
This centre provides complete, free-of-cost services for patients diagnosed with drug-resistant tuberculosis. Services include :
- Pre-treatment evaluation and detailed diagnostic work-up
- Baseline investigations including laboratory and radiological assessment
- Initiation and monitoring of second-line anti-tubercular therapy
- Free supply of second-line drugs for MDR/XDR-TB
- Active monitoring and management of Adverse Drug Reactions (ADRs)
- Regular follow-up and adherence counseling
The Nodal DRTB Centre serves as a regional referral hub for the Bundelkhand region. In addition to Jhansi district, the centre provides services to patients referred from: Lalitpur, Jalaun, Banda and Mahoba. To strengthen TB care services across these districts, the centre actively participates in ECHO India’s TB initiative. Through a virtual hub-and-spoke tele- mentoring model, experts at Jhansi provide capacity building, clinical mentoring, case-based discussions, and real-time guidance to healthcare providers in peripheral districts. This approach enhances decentralized management of MDR/XDR-TB while maintaining quality standards of care.
Through coordinated efforts under the National TB Elimination Program, the centre ensures standardized treatment protocols, patient-centered care, and improved treatment outcomes for drug-resistant TB patients across the region.
