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| TB drug designed for children launched in Kenya | TB drug designed for children launched in Kenya |
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| The world's first drug specifically designed to treat tuberculosis in children has been launched in Kenya. | The world's first drug specifically designed to treat tuberculosis in children has been launched in Kenya. |
| The new pill is a combination of three drugs used to treat tuberculosis, mixed in the right dosage, and is fruit-flavoured to appeal to children. | The new pill is a combination of three drugs used to treat tuberculosis, mixed in the right dosage, and is fruit-flavoured to appeal to children. |
| Until now, the global TB Alliance says pills designed for adults have been split to get the dosage for children. | Until now, the global TB Alliance says pills designed for adults have been split to get the dosage for children. |
| Every year, about a million children fall ill with TB, which is the world's deadliest infectious disease. | Every year, about a million children fall ill with TB, which is the world's deadliest infectious disease. |
| In 2014, an estimated 140,000 children died of TB, according to global figures from the World Health Organization (WHO). | In 2014, an estimated 140,000 children died of TB, according to global figures from the World Health Organization (WHO). |
| Kenya is the first country to roll out the new drug nationally, with more countries expected to follow over the next three years. | Kenya is the first country to roll out the new drug nationally, with more countries expected to follow over the next three years. |
| Experts say the new treatment will be more effective because the components have been measured accurately and the pill is not bitter-tasting. | Experts say the new treatment will be more effective because the components have been measured accurately and the pill is not bitter-tasting. |
| What is it like to live in a TB hotspot? Anne Soy, BBC Africa health correspondent: | |
| At Majengo slum in Kenya's capital, Nairobi, a dark corridor leads to Helen Chebet's one-roomed home, where she lives with her family of six. | At Majengo slum in Kenya's capital, Nairobi, a dark corridor leads to Helen Chebet's one-roomed home, where she lives with her family of six. |
| The mud-walled building, reinforced with rusty iron sheets, has very few windows and the only source of natural light in the space she rents comes from a tiny transparent panel installed in the roof. | The mud-walled building, reinforced with rusty iron sheets, has very few windows and the only source of natural light in the space she rents comes from a tiny transparent panel installed in the roof. |
| Living conditions like these, crowded and with poor ventilation, are cited as contributing factors to the transmission of tuberculosis. | Living conditions like these, crowded and with poor ventilation, are cited as contributing factors to the transmission of tuberculosis. |
| This year, both Ms Chebet and her two youngest children were diagnosed with tuberculosis, after several failed attempts to treat for other possible infections. Her 15-month-old daughter Chepkoech was put on a six-month course of antibiotics, which required her to take six tablets a day. | This year, both Ms Chebet and her two youngest children were diagnosed with tuberculosis, after several failed attempts to treat for other possible infections. Her 15-month-old daughter Chepkoech was put on a six-month course of antibiotics, which required her to take six tablets a day. |
| Ms Chebet tried to hide the drug in the toddler's food, but her strategy did not work. | Ms Chebet tried to hide the drug in the toddler's food, but her strategy did not work. |
| "One particular drug was difficult to split and dissolve in water... I had to grind it," Ms Chebet says adding that Chepkoech could only stand the bitter-tasting drugs for the first two months. | "One particular drug was difficult to split and dissolve in water... I had to grind it," Ms Chebet says adding that Chepkoech could only stand the bitter-tasting drugs for the first two months. |
| The new drug dissolves easily in water, making it easier to take every day for the six-month treatment period. | The new drug dissolves easily in water, making it easier to take every day for the six-month treatment period. |
| "Caregivers can easily give up knowing how difficult it is to give children such medicine," Kenya's head of TB programmes Dr Enos Masini told the BBC. | "Caregivers can easily give up knowing how difficult it is to give children such medicine," Kenya's head of TB programmes Dr Enos Masini told the BBC. |
| It is not only Kenya, which begins rolling out the drug for free from 1 October, where TB sufferers are expected to benefit. | It is not only Kenya, which begins rolling out the drug for free from 1 October, where TB sufferers are expected to benefit. |
| More than 20 countries have expressed interest in introducing the pill, says Dr Cherise Scott from the TB Alliance, the global non-governmental organisation that spearheaded the production of the new drug. | More than 20 countries have expressed interest in introducing the pill, says Dr Cherise Scott from the TB Alliance, the global non-governmental organisation that spearheaded the production of the new drug. |
| "The new child-friendly pill will boost survival," Dr Scott adds. | "The new child-friendly pill will boost survival," Dr Scott adds. |
| Africa has the highest prevalence of TB of any continent. | Africa has the highest prevalence of TB of any continent. |
| The global TB death rate has dropped by almost a half between 1990 and 2015, the WHO says. | The global TB death rate has dropped by almost a half between 1990 and 2015, the WHO says. |
| Tuberculosis symptoms | Tuberculosis symptoms |