Don’t miss the latest developments in business and finance.

Measures for Controlling TB

Government of India is implementing the Revised National Tuberculosis Control Programme in the country. Under this programme, diagnosis and treatment facilities including anti-TB drugs are provided free of cost to all TB patients.

Image
Delhi
Last Updated : Nov 25 2014 | 5:14 PM IST
Government of India is implementing the Revised National Tuberculosis Control Programme in the country. Under this programme, diagnosis and treatment facilities including anti-TB drugs are provided free of cost to all TB patients. Designated microscopy centres have been established for quality diagnosis for every one lakh population in the general areas and for every 50,000 population in the tribal, hilly and difficult areas. More than 13000 microscopy centres have been established in the country. Treatment centres (DOT Centres) have been established near to residence of patients to the extent possible. All government hospitals, Community Health Centres (CHC), Primary Health Centres (PHC), sub centres are DOT centres. In addition NGOs, Private Practitioners (PPs) involved under the RNTCP, community volunteers, Anganwadi workers, women self-help groups etc. also function as DOT providers/DOT Centres. Drugs are provided under direct observation and the patients are monitored so that they complete their treatment.

 
Programmatic Management of Drug Resistant TB (PMDT) services, for the management of multi-drug resistant tuberculosis (MDR-TB) and TB-HIV collaborative activities for TB-HIV co-infection are being implemented throughout the country.
 
The amount incurred by Government of India during the last three years for controlling TB is as detailed below:


1.      2011-12 Rs. 391.16 crore
2.      2012-13 Rs. 467.00 crore
3. 2013-14 Rs. 500.00 crore
 
As of now, because of the epidemiological pattern of the disease, the Revised National TB Control Programme (RNTCP) targets Tuberculosis control and not eradication. Use of irrational treatment regimen is one of the major reasons for development of resistance to anti-TB drugs.


Anti-TB Drugs have been moved from Schedule H to H1, under the Drugs and Cosmetics Act, which lays down certain conditions on the usage of these drugs.


Government of India has released Standards for TB Care in India (STCI), an initiative to introduce uniform standards for TB care in all sectors. This is the first time such standards have been defined in India and is an important step to standardize diagnosis, treatment, public health action and social support systems for all TB patients in the country.


RNTCP is collaborating with the Indian Medical Association in the form of a project for involvement of Private Medical Practitioners.
 
The Central TB Division has entered into a MoU with Indian Pharmacist Association and All India Organization of Chemists & Druggists, SEARPhar Forum and Pharmacy Council of India for inclusion of pharmacies in RNTCP.
 
The Health Minister, Shri J P Nadda stated this in a written reply in the Rajya Sabha here today.
 

 

Also Read

First Published: Nov 25 2014 | 2:21 PM IST

Next Story