Pioneer of DR-TB Research and Management
As a pioneer and game changer organization for Drug resistant TB (DR-TB) diagnosis and treatment services in Bangladesh and beyond, Damien Foundation introduced the worldwide renowned shorter regiment for DR-TB treatment, familiar as the Bangladesh regimen. DF initiated the MDR Tuberculosis project in 1997 to develop a standard treatment regimen for MDR-TB. The shorter treatment regimen (STR) for MDR TB, developed by the Damien Foundation in Bangladesh, is commonly referred to as the Bangladesh Regimen.
Following the endorsement of the STR by the WHO in 2016, the regimen has been implemented in many countries. The 9-month STR was first implemented in March 2005. Subsequently, the project was extended to 13 other districts of the Rajshahi Division in May 2008 by establishing a Culture and Drug-Susceptibility Test (DST) Laboratory in Rajshahi Chest Disease Hospital (CDH).
The latest WHO recommended Shorter Oral Treatment Regimen (SOTR) for DR-TB treatment is also based on the Damien Foundation developed shorter regimen where only the injectable drug has been replaced by the new drug Bedaquiline.
