Quality care for TB patients treated in private sector

DIMAPUR — The National Strategic Plan (NSP) for 2017 to 2025 of the National TB Elimination Programme (NTEP) was intended to extend the umbrella of high-quality TB care and control to those treated in the private sector.

This was stated by NHM mission director, Dr. Akuo Sorhie, during a review meeting of the service providers (consisting NGOs, private providers etc) and private sector engaged in NTEP on November 12 held at the Directorate of Health and Family Welfare in Kohima.

Dr. Sorhie stated that over the last few decades, the programme learned a great deal of insights in working with the private sector. He added that there still exist enormous untapped potential for collaborating with the private sector innovatively for programme effectiveness, based on the lessons of working with private sector, an update from the Health department stated.

In her opening remarks, the State TB Officer Dr. Vezokholu Theyo appreciated the efforts of the service providers working in different districts in activities such as sputum collection and transport, advocacy communication and social mobilisation (ACSM), active case finding (ACF), public health action and treatment and diagnostic centre.

The service providers are engaged under NTEP to assist the programme reach the unreached and provide necessary services to the community at large.

It stated that presentations were made by all the service providers, while their yearly performances based on different indicators was also evaluated and apprised.

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It mentioned that a gazette notification on TB dated March 16, 2018 mandated all healthcare providers to notify every TB case diagnosed or treated to local authorities. It added that the private notification of TB cases under the state contributed to around 15-20% each year.

It stated that for notification and reporting of outcome, a private practitioner gets an incentive of INR 1000 (INR 500 for notification and INR500 for reporting of outcome), Besides, FDC (fixed drugs combination) and anti TB drugs can also be kept in private health facilities with an option to avail free medicines to TB patients.

With the task of TB elimination by 2025 inching closer, Temjenochetla Ao, State PPM coordinator, stated that various key strategies need to be adopted such as upfront NAAT testing, expanding the bracket of presumptive TB cases, advocating for TB-free villages etc.

In her closing remarks, Dr. Apichetla Amer urged all the healthcare workers and service providers to work in close tandem so that quality of service is not compromised.

Thungchanbeni Humtsoe, State IEC officer, chaired the meeting which was well attended by all the district TB officers, PPM coordinators, WHO consultant Dr. Collins Z Sono, representatives from ARK Foundation, Thera Welfare Society, SOWSORD, Frontier Development Society, Chavara Home, KNP+, Yingli Mission, Legacy Explorer and staff of State TB Cell.