ABSTRACT
A tuberculosis (TB) unit covering a population of 600000 in Gurgaon District of Haryana State, India, where the DOTS-based RNTCP has been implemented since April 2000. Treatment success rate, as recorded in the TB register, of new sputum smear-positive patients receiving directly observed treatment (DOT) from community volunteers was comparable with that of patients receiving DOT from government health workers (78% vs. 77%). The proportion of patients with community volunteers increased significantly with time (13% in 2000 to 25% in 2002), even in the absence of financial incentives. In this model of community volunteer involvement in an urban TB control programme, the primary responsibility for returning late patients to treatment was with the staff of the District TB Centre.
Subject(s)
Directly Observed Therapy , Tuberculosis, Pulmonary/drug therapy , Volunteers/organization & administration , Community Health Services , Developing Countries , Humans , India , Sputum/microbiology , Treatment Outcome , Urban Health ServicesABSTRACT
Community volunteers (CVs) along with NGOs and private sector can play an important role in successful directly observed treatment (DOT), an important element of RNTCP. The involvement of CVs can be useful in areas with poor health structure. CVs can be recruited from housewives to chowkiders in all walks of life. Many studies have shown non-health workers have performed better supervision than health workers. Successful involvement of CVs in the RNTCP depends on supervision and the standard of quality of services set by the district programme.
