Fasting in the month of Ramadan is compulsory for all healthy adult Muslims on reaching puberty. It is atotal fast, with complete abstinence from both food and drink.

But when someone cannot fast in Ramadan, they can make up for the lost days afterwards. If one can’t make up the lost days afterwards (for example, because of ill health or pregnancy), then they can pay (fidya) for someone else to be fed.

I take tuberculosis medication, can I fast?

Depending on the patient’s condition, doctor will advise whether the patient can fast during Ramadan or not.  

Drug resistant TB patients are encouraged to pay fidyah or replace it at a later time if TB patients are not allowed to fasting due to severe drug side effects.

Patient  with TB can fast during Ramadan, as long as they regularly take their prescribed medication each day. Doctor will switch the schedule of the medication patient take.

For TB patients who took a single dosage of TB medication while fasting, the drug intake can be shifted to dawn or roughly one hour to thirty minutes before dawn.

But, for some patient with some specific condition, fasting during Ramadan is not possible to do. Some of the TB drugs need to be taken with food, i.e. they should not be taken when stomach is empty. If the stomach is empty, drugs won’t absorb, and hence will not be effective. If TB drug treatment is not completed, it will lead to situation where resistance to the medication will develop

It is important for TB patient to see their doctor and ask for his/her advice whether they can fast during Ramadan or not