Some thrust areas for improving TB detection, management and control

[bobby ramakant]

Dear TB Competence members,

below are some key issues raised by Dr Chauhan, in lead up to the World TB Day (24 March 2010). I look forward to learning experiences from you all if these suggestions are relevant/ workable/ pragmatic to your context?

be hearing, bobby

---------------------------------

Comment: Some thrust areas for improving TB detection, management and control

Dr Rajesh Chauhan, India

****************************

 

[Mods note: For more information on the forthcoming World TB Day, 24 March 2010, go to: http://www.stoptb.org/events/world_tb_day/2010/ . Thanks]

****************************

 

Dear Stop-TB members,

 

In the lead up to the World TB Day, 24 March, let me share some thrust areas for improving tuberculosis detection, management and control.

 

Having worked both for the Government and now in a private capacity, I think that we need to look into these aspects for making an impact:

 

(a) Interoperability between the public and the private: An acceptance by the Government healthcare facilities to follow up and provide appropriate treatment for Tuberculosis once a diagnosis has been made by a private
practitioner (based on laboratory confirmation) should become a routine. This
can mitigate the problems to some extent of incomplete therapy/ non-compliance
owing to cost factor that a patient or the care givers have to face.

 

(b) NGOs: All the NGOs (National as well as International NGOs) working in defined geographic areas should be well advertised regularly and repeatedly as well as frequently as it would help if the layman as well as
the healthcare providers (both in public and the private) so that they are
aware of their role/ aim/ goal/ target, and how can they intend to facilitate
the healthcare goals and be of help. It would also help if the funding/ expense/
targets achieved is also known through regular feed backs in the press/ media.

 

(c) Sputum sample collection from doorstep: A system of collecting sputum samples from doorstep may be considered for contact tracing.

 

Best regards

 

Dr Rajesh Chauhan

Sikandra, Agra, India

Email: [e-mail]