Chennai: While the government launched the national strategic plan as tuberculosis eradication programme by 2025, medical community says that notification of TB patients by private doctors is not being done. Indian Medical Association was in the forefront to demand to make notification of TB mandatory in the country, however, experts say that it is not into practice effectively.
The challenge is that while over half of all TB patients in India seek care in the private sector, the case notifications from the private sector are way behind those in government hospitals.
In all, 56 per cent of the TB patients go to private doctors for treatment. The patients trust that family doctors will keep their confidentiality to avoid stigma.
For this reason the family doctors keep the records confidential as well. Hence the programme is unable to assess and compile a real data of actual number of TB cases in the country, says Dr Ravi Wankhedkar, national president, Indian Medical Association.
Doctors say that notification of TB patients by private doctors has to be increased to keep a track of actual number of patients. Upon notification, the patient gets access to free drugs, diagnostic tests and nutritional support.
Chemists are also required to notify while selling anti-TB Schedule H1 drugs against the prescription of a registered medical practitioner and maintain sale records.
Over the counter sale of all anti-TB drugs has been prohibited. Notification allows access to free drugs and diagnostic tests as per the Standards for TB Care in India (STCI), patient-centric support that ensures patients adhere to the treatment and incentives, adds Dr Ravi.
“The trend of rising microbial resistance is due to poor treatment compliance of the patients and also may be due to detection of the more and more undetected cases by the increasing lab facilities and newer diagnostic techniques made available by the government,” said Dr. P T James, head, pulmonary medicine, Amrita Institute of Medical Sciences,
“However, genuine political commitment for implementing the strategies will help to achieve this target. In addition, measures may be adopted for proper control; and management of the important co morbidities like HIV and Diabetes for successful TB elimination,” he added.
