Prevention of DR-TB – I am yet to
understand if there is any such agenda in TB program or it is just a
fantasizing imagination? The amount of efforts we put in creating hue and cry
over DR-TB, probably we don’t even invest 10% of that energy and emotion to
advocate for DR-TB prevention.
Does it mean DR-TB is an unpreventable illness?
Does it mean DR-TB is an unpreventable illness?
There is no scientific evidence
that said so. DR-TB is preventable. It is said to be a man-made phenomena and requires quality implementation and
monitoring of the basic activities that can ensure drug adherence and timely
treatment completion by the TB patients enrolled in the national program.
In public health programs 'basic' interventions often bypass due attention of the managers and
activists.
A notable example is patient-provider meetings. These meetings were introduced into
national TB control initiative as the key platform of TB patients’ education
and treatment compliance that can further lead to effective
community-facility collaboration.
Can anyone of this forum share
the experiences of a patient-provider meeting? How the quality of such meetings
is being ensured? What outputs and outcomes are expected from these meetings? What
indicators are being used to monitor these activities? Any relevant case study
showing expected results?
I believe I am asking for too
much.
Sometimes I feel we are just
inviting DR-TB to perish us.
Exactly the way, HIV was combated
with poorly organized prevention strategies and tools, especially in
Sub-Saharan Africa, decades ago.
We already saw the result of
that.
