Involvement of Non-allopathic Private Practitioners under DOTS in an urban area of north India.
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Date
2005-10
Journal Title
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Abstract
Background: In an urban area of a north Indian district (population 150,000), nine private practitioners
of non-allopathic medicine, including five with no qualification and two private paramedical staff, were
trained as per programme guidelines before being involved as treatment observers in the DOTS-based
Revised National TB Control Programme and supervised. They were not given any financial incentive.
Material and Methods: During 2002, they managed 185 TB patients (85% of the cases in the urban
area) and amongst the 63 new smear-positive patients, the cure rate was 84%. Over a 6 month period,
6% of the total new smear-positive patients detected in the area were referred by these private
practitioners.
Results: Results suggest that non-allopathic practitioners and paramedical staff from the private sector
can make a significant contribution to TB control, by increasing case detection and treatment observation.
Description
Keywords
DOTS, private practitioners
Citation
Singh A A, Arora R C, Wares D F, Chauhan L S, Granich R. Involvement of Non-allopathic Private Practitioners under DOTS in an urban area of north India. Indian Journal of Tuberculosis. 2005 Oct; 52(4): 184-187.