In the Autonomous Republic of Karakalpakstan, we run a comprehensive care program for patients with drug-resistant and drug-sensitive TB. We continue to support the rollout of treatment protocols reflecting global best practices, and promote shorter treatment regimens using newer and repurposed TB drugs.
In Nukus, the capital of Karakalpakstan, and in Tashkent, we concluded our groundbreaking multi-country clinical trial, TB-PRACTECAL, which investigates the efficacy and safety of a new treatment regimen for drug-resistant TB. Based on the results of the trial, the World Health Organization recommended this regimen for patients with multidrug-resistant or rifampicin-resistant TB in its updated treatment guidelines in December. To ensure the scale-up of this treatment regimen, MSF launched the SMARRTT (six-month all-oral regimens for rifampicin-resistant TB treatment) operational study in Nukus in October.