Indian Doctor Duo’s Groundbreaking TB Research Earns Global Acclaim

Mangaluru couple, Dr. Anurag Bhargava and Dr. Madhavi Bhargava, have made groundbreaking strides in tuberculosis (TB) treatment through their research linking nutrition and recovery. Their findings have led the World Health Organization (WHO) to adopt new nutrition guidelines for TB patients, a significant step towards tackling this deadly disease that claims hundreds of thousands of lives in India each year.

Dr. Anurag, a medicine professor, has spent years studying how undernutrition affects TB patients, especially in rural areas like Jharkhand. His research shows that malnourished patients have a much higher risk of death. Meanwhile, Dr. Madhavi focuses on community health, collaborating with various organizations to enhance understanding of how nutrition can help prevent TB.

TB remains one of the most lethal infectious diseases globally, and poor nutrition has been recognized as a crucial factor in TB-related deaths. Dr. Anurag emphasizes that inadequate nutrition is a greater risk for TB than conditions like diabetes or HIV.

Rewriting Guidelines into Action

In 2017, the couple was invited to help draft nutrition guidelines for India’s National Tuberculosis Elimination Programme (NTEP). These guidelines recommend that TB patients receive nutritional assessments at diagnosis and throughout treatment, suggesting a “food basket” for every patient.

Their innovative RATIONS Trial aimed to explore whether improved nutrition could help reduce TB deaths and lower infection rates among family members. This study was significant because it looked at how food-based interventions could enhance immunity and prevent the disease from spreading within households.

The trial tackled two main questions:

1. Would better nutrition lead to lower death rates among TB patients?
2. Could it prevent further infections within their families?

Groundbreaking Findings

Preliminary results showed that households receiving nutritional support experienced a 39% reduction in new TB cases, with a striking 35% drop in death rates among patients. For those severely malnourished, mortality rates decreased by 50%. Additionally, many patients regained strength to return to work.

Despite the COVID-19 pandemic disrupting research, the team pressed on. Dr. Madhavi highlights that TB often affects entire families living in poverty. Providing nutritional support to all family members helped enhance their immune systems, which was crucial for preventing new infections.

The qualitative aspect of the research confirmed that nutritional support not only helped patients adhere to their TB treatment but also improved their quality of life. “Without food, it’s difficult to complete such a long medication course,” Dr. Anurag notes, emphasizing the vital role nutrition plays in recovery.

A New Chapter in TB Care

On October 7, 2025, the WHO officially released updated guidelines based on findings from the RATIONS study. Earlier recommendations focused solely on assessing nutrition in severe cases. The new approach integrates nutritional support as a key component of TB care, marking a substantial shift in how the disease is managed.

The study’s findings were published in The Lancet in 2023, drawing international attention. Following this, the Indian government improved nutrition delivery, with states like Jharkhand already implementing food basket initiatives.

The Bhargavas’ work not only reshapes TB treatment but also underlines a crucial lesson: addressing basic needs like nutrition is fundamental in fighting diseases, especially in resource-limited settings.

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