Current Medicine Research and Practice (Jan 2021)

Unite to end Tuberculosis – The need for public–private collaboration

  • Jency Koshy,
  • Abel K Samuel Johnson,
  • Bichu P Babu,
  • Marina Rajan Joseph

DOI
https://doi.org/10.4103/cmrp.cmrp_9_21
Journal volume & issue
Vol. 11, no. 1
pp. 13 – 17

Abstract

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Background: Despite effective diagnostic tools and drugs for tuberculosis , the disease still remains a public health threat. Financial insecurity, Social stigma, food insecurity, distance to nearest health facility and psychological stress play as hurdles in the diagnosis and completion of tuberculosis treatment. Early diagnosis and completion of treatment plays a key role in controlling tuberculosis. The public and the private sector in India together is trying hard to control this menace. The public sector in India has a wide network of institutions with uniform standardized treatment for TB treatment under the National tuberculosis program. The private sector is heterogeneous with limited or no extension centers in the peripheries. This makes it difficult for the private sector to follow up the patient. So the national program has extended the arms to join with the private partners to eliminate TB. This article attempts to highlight the need of collaborating with the national program to eliminate tuberculosis. Materials and Methods : All the tuberculosis patients diagnosed at a private institution prior to partnership with the national program were followed up to understand the treatment outcomes and understand the importance of public private collaboration. Results: A total of 131 patients were diagnosed with tuberculosis from the health facility during the study period. Out of the 131 patients, 30% (n = 39) could not be traced. Among the patients who were contacted, treatment interruption was observed in 6 (7%) patients. More than 1/4th of the traced patients (n = 62) completed their treatment. Death occurred to 08 (9%) traced patients. Conclusion: This study reiterate the need for Private public coordination in the treatment of TB. It is the responsibility of the health care professionals in the private sector to collaborate with the national tuberculosis program to make tuberculosis elimination a reality.

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