'DOTS can enhance TB cure success rate'

By Our Staff Reporter

CHENNAI, APRIL 25. With the constructive engagement of all sections of society in the Directly Observed Treatment (Short Course), the success rate of TB cure in India could improve substantially, Dr. Thomas Friedan, Medical Officer, World Health Organisation, said today.

Over the years, DOTS had tripled TB treatment success in India and the cure rate had gone up from 25 per cent to 84 per cent. However, with intensified efforts in this particular treatment method, the results could be much better, Dr. Friedan, who has had considerable experience as a DOTS practitioner added. He was delivering the first Resource Group for Education and Advocacy for Community Health (REACH) on `Tuberculosis - Challenges before the community', here today.

Projecting statistics for the future, Dr. Friedan said DOTS could save nearly six million lives in India over the next 20 years. In the year 2002, DOTS could save more than 100,000 patients (the number of lives saved by DOTS in India so far) and twice that number in 2005.

There were several possibilities for direct treatment observation in the country as community bonding was by and large intact, unlike the U.S. where very few social bonds existed and therefore had to be created. Working with this advantage, social workers and the community should establish close contacts with the patients, allaying their fears of being rejected, isolated and alienated, Dr. Friedan said. Care should be free, continuous and easily available, with the patients being treated as VIPs.

There was a direct link between socio-economic improvement and fall in the number of TB cases and though social change was important, it was slow. In the context of alarmist facts - TB could kill more than 100 million people over the next 50 years, HIV quadrupling TB case rates in poorly prepared countries, the lack of an effective vaccine - only effective treatment and constant monitoring could provide the answer.

TB control depended on the five components of DOTS: political commitment, accurate diagnosis, adequate drug supply, systematic observation and monitoring, Dr. Friedan added. Ensuring effective TB Control was a critical test of good governance and good citizenship. Investment in DOTS should not be reduced, as the illness would only return after a few years. The experience of the U.S. had showed that every dollar invested in DOTS brought a return of 55 dollars over 20 years. In fact, Dr. Friedan suggested that incentives be offered to cured persons, for contributing to the public good.

Complimenting the Indian Government for its Revised National Tuberculosis Control Programme (RNTCP), he said the programme was ``the single, most important health programme'' . In an appreciative gesture, he returned to REACH the award amount of Rs. 5,000 to carry out DOTS related activities.

Earlier, Dr. Arjun Rajagopalan, Vice President, REACH explained the objectives of the organisation. Ms. Jovitta Joseph of the Advocacy for Control of TB (ACT) outlined the activities of ACT in association with labs, private practitioners, the Tuberculosis Research Centre (TRC) and the Chennai Corporation. Dr. P. R. Narayanan of TRC and Dr. S. Ravi Subramaniam, executive committee member, REACH also spoke.

Send this article to Friends by E-Mail

Section  : Regional
Previous : TMC-led opposition MLAs stage `road roko'
Next     : TN seeks bifurcation of Southern grid