India, May 14 -- A 32-year-old woman from a Worli slum is battling tuberculosis (TB) for the second time. A few months ago, she was diagnosed with drug-resistant TB-a more severe and harder-to-treat version of the disease.

The woman lacks a crucial component in her treatment regimen - one no doctor can provide. The truth is, adequate nutrition alone would greatly raise her chances of recovery. Studies have shown that malnutrition fuels deaths and drug resistance in TB patients, undermining efforts to treat patients with all forms of the disease. On the other hand, a nutrient-rich diet significantly enhances positive outcomes.

Part of the reason the woman is malnourished is that, for the last four months, she has not received the Rs.1,00...