Introduction :: Tuberculosis Control

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Tuberculosis Control

I am stopping TB - �Fighting TB is the responsibility of every citizen�.

Introduction

Tuberculosis (TB) is an infective disease caused by Mycobacterium Tuberculosis which spread from a diseased person to a healthy one through the air-borne route when untreated patients cough or sneeze. TB mainly affects the lungs; but it can also affect other parts of the body (Brain, Bones, Glands, etc.).

Tuberculosis (TB) remains a major public health problem in India. Every year approximately 18 lakh people develop TB and about 4 lakh die from it. India accounts for one fifth of global incidence of TB and tops the list of 22 high TB burden countries. Unless sustained and appropriate action is taken, approximately 20 lakh people in India are estimated to die of TB in next five years.

TB kills more adults in India than any other infectious disease.

In India, EVERY DAY:

more than 40,000 people become newly infected with the tubercle bacilli
� more than 5000 develop TB disease
� more than 1000 people die of TB (i.e. 1 death every 1� minutes)

The best way to diagnose lung TB is by examining the sputum under a Binocular Microscope. Germs of TB can be seen with a Binocular Microscope.

NTCP & RNTCP

Despite the existence of a National Tuberculosis Control Programme since 1962, the desired results had not been achieved. On the recommendations of an expert committee, a revised strategy to control TB was pilot tested in 1993 in a population of 2.35 million which was then increased in phased manner.

The Revised National Tuberculosis Control Programme (RNTCP) aims to stop the spread of TB by curing patients. The key of this strategy is to cure TB through Directly Observed Treatment at a time and place convenient to the patient.

A full-fledged programme was launched in 1997 and rapidly expanded in a phased manner with excellent results. By March 2006, as per tbcindia.org website, whole country has been covered under RNTCP.

The RNTCP is an application in India of the WHO-recommended Directly Observed Treatment, Short Course (DOTS) the most effective strategy to control TB.

Goal

To decrease mortality and morbidity due to TB and cut transmission of infection until TB ceases to be a major public health problem

Objective

To achieve and maintain a cure rate of at least 85% among newly detected infectious (new sputum smear positive) cases, and
To achieve and maintain detection of at least 70% such cases in the population.

RNTCP Project - Gujarat

The RNTCP pilot project phase I started in Gujarat at Chansma and Patan taluka of Mehsana on 2nd Oct. 1993. 4.5 lakh population was covered. It was extended in phase II to other talukas of Mehsana district to cover 15.00 lakh populations. In that way the whole of DTC Mehsana was taken up with RNTCP project. The result was very encouraging for the Mehsansa project, which became a demonstration site for the rest of state.

From 4th Quarter 1998, RNTCP was expanded to all the districts of Gujarat in a phased manner.

No. of Phase	Year	No. of DTCs	Name of DTCs
Pilot Study	1993	--	Chanasma & Patan Taluka in Mehsana district
Phase 1	1998	5	Mehsana, Ahmedabad, Jamnagar, Amreli, Valsad (+Navsari)
Phase 2	1999	1	Ahmedabad Municipal Corp.
Phase 3	2000	13	Banaskantha, Patan, Sabarkantha, Anand, Kheda, Panchmahal, Dahod, Surat (R), Surat Muni. Corp., Vyara, Rajkot, Bhavnagar, Junagadh (+Porbandar)
Phase 4	2001	4	Surendranagar, Gandhinagar, Vadodara Muni. Corp., Vadodara (R)
Phase 5	2002	1	Bharuch (+Narmada)
Phase 6	2003	1	Dang
Phase 7	2004	2	Kutch, Chhotaudepur

Since 7th April 2004, all the districts of Gujarat have been covered under RNTCP.