Treatment made easier for tuberculosis patients
2
MINS READ
- OverviewPress tab for submenu items
TCS is here to make a difference through technology.
Leading the way in innovation for over 55 years, we build greater futures for businesses across multiple industries and 55 countries.
-
Industries
-
Services
-
Products and Platforms
-
Research & Innovation
Overview
Industries
expand here
Services
expand here
Products and Platforms
expand here
Research & Innovation
expand here
- OverviewPress tab for submenu items
We’re in it for good, driving positive change for the benefit of all.
Our expert, committed team put our shared beliefs into action – every day. Together, we combine innovation and collective knowledge to create the extraordinary.
-
About Us
-
Leadership
-
Events
- OverviewPress tab for submenu items
Extraordinary expertise leads to remarkable results.
We share news, insights, analysis and research – tailored to your unique interests – to help you deepen your knowledge and impact.
-
Customer Stories
-
Perspectives
-
Global studies
-
Topics
- OverviewPress tab for submenu items
Want to be a global change-maker? Join our team.
At TCS, we believe exceptional work begins with hiring, celebrating and nurturing the best people — from all walks of life.
-
India
-
Americas
-
Asia Pacific
-
Europe and UK
-
Middle East and Africa
Overview
India
expand here
Americas
expand here
Asia Pacific
expand here
Europe and UK
expand here
Middle East and Africa
expand here
- OverviewPress tab for submenu items
Find the latest news about TCS in our Newsroom
Get access to a catalog of the latest news stories from across TCS. Discover our press releases, reports, and company announcements.
-
Press releases
-
News alerts
-
Analyst recognition
-
Media kit
- OverviewPress tab for submenu items
TCS works hand in hand with world-leading investors.
Tata Consultancy Services LimitedNSE:TCSINR -
Management Commentary
-
Financials
-
News and Events
-
ESG
-
Resources
Overview
Management Commentary
expand here
Financials
expand here
News and Events
expand here
ESG
expand here
Resources
expand here
Top Results
Showing
10
01 - 07
You have these already downloaded
We have sent you a copy of the report to your email again.
what we do
TCS Pace
This will open an overlay
TCS Pace™: Speedier Digital Transformation & Innovation in Business
TCS Pace™ brings the best of TCS innovation, helping businesses explore emerging technologies & define their innovation strategy for better outcomes. Know more.
Related Insights
Learn about the role of accelerated innovation in business, and how keeping up with trends and emerging technologies will help enterprises gain a competitive advantage.
Blog
16 Mar 2023
TCS hosted Avery Dennison at TCS Pace Port™ Amsterdam, where they discussed using metaverse and virtual reality for better sales enablement and growth.
Case Studies
15 Feb 2023
Learn how innovative companion apps and proactive government initiatives are helping individuals quit smoking, ultimately enhancing global well-being.
Blog
14 Oct 2024
Highlights
The IoT-based pill dispenser, TMEAD, adheres to the National Tuberculosis Elimination Programme (NTEP)—which is critical to stall the spread of the disease.
Based on the time of the previous dose, the IoT-based device follows an escalation matrix to alert caregivers, health workers, and eventually, the district administration.
In this article
Back to top
Go to top
In this articleinpage
Go to top
The rising tuberculosis-related mortality rate
Tuberculosis (TB) is fatal disease with a high death rate in India and fighting it requires consuming medicines with time-bound precision. Consuming treatment drug(s) erratically, leads to the disease progresses to an even more challenging drug-resistant stage.
In 2016 alone, India saw nearly 423,000 deaths due to TB, with disease incidence being seven times that figure—the highest in the world. Despite its best efforts, the country is struggling to make a dent in TB morbidity statistics, with one of the main reasons being the lack of treatment adherence.
A team groomed by TCS’ Digital Impact Square (DISQ) has brought some respite to TB patients by building a fully indigenous, scale ready IoT-based pill dispenser, called TMEAD, to enhance adherence outcomes and provide prioritized attention to healthcare workers.
The device built by Nishad Halkarni and Rahul Doshi, product developers from the DISQ team, adheres to the National Tuberculosis Elimination Programme (NTEP)—a critical initiative to stall the spread of the disease—and improves the dosage and monitors the process involved.
Innovation through automation
NTEP depends on manual pill dispensing for compliance and recording of treatment procedures, and it was observed that the information gathered about treatment adherence was often unreliable and open to manipulation. Since tracking and preventing missed doses is crucial to the treatment, the team designed TMEAD to be able to alert patients to take their medicines.
Depending on how long it has been since the last dose, the device follows an escalation matrix to alert caregivers, health workers, and eventually, the district administration. Apart from regime monitoring and avoiding interruptions in treatment, this solution also helps map disease analytics in real time.
Acceptance and results
The TMEAD team has secured a grant from the India Health Fund to run a multi-state pilot, covering around 800 of drug sensitive and drug resistant patients across the Indian states of Maharashtra and Gujarat. They are also undergoing clinical validation trial from the Indian Institute of Public Health, Gandhinagar.
Of course, this task was not without its challenges, starting from the fact that the pills in the dispenser need to be tamper-proof and blister packed, and should last a fortnight at least so that patients don’t have to keep travelling for refills. The device also needed to pack in enough battery power for a month, while still blending in at the patients’ homes to prevent further stigma.
Making the pill dispenser available in other regions
So far, both the patient response to the device as well as general treatment adherence has been good. With the district administration impressed with the results from the pilot phase, the team is now working to make the device available across the western India region, including Nashik, Wardha, Thane, and Ahmedabad Urban and Rural.
Related reading
1/4
TCS Pace
TCS Pace™ Stockholm: Driving a Digital Future in the Nordics
Article
|
31 Jul 2024
Opens in new tab
2/4
TCS Pace
TCS Pace Port™ Paris: Fostering Innovation for a Competitive Edge
Article
|
04 Jun 2024
Opens in new tab
3/4
TCS Pace
Transforming supply chains into revenue centers
Article
|
21 May 2024
Opens in new tab
4/4
TCS Pace
TCS Digital Engagement Room: Simplifying Sales Cycle
Solution
|
30 Apr 2024
Opens in new tab
©2024 TATA Consultancy Services Limited
©2024 TATA Consultancy Services Limited
- Privacy Notice
- Cookie Policy
- Disclaimer
- Security Policy
- California Notice at Collection
- Customize Cookies
What’s on your mind?
We’re here to help! Tell us what you’re looking for and we’ll get you connected to the right people.
Looking for something else?