DR-TB Coordinator

Interferon Gamma Release Assay (IGRA) and Tuberculin Skin Tests (TST) are performed on individuals who are ruled out for active TB disease. 

Counselling is of paramount importance for TB Preventive Treatment (TPT) initiation and completion as most of the target population screened and found eligible would know that they do not have TB disease, would be symptom-free or otherwise healthy and would not feel the need to take any treatment, especially Household Contacts (HHC).

Stakeholders Involved in Counselling for TPT (Figure below)

To achieve high treatment completion rates and the desired epidemiological impact of the TB Preventive Treatment (TPT), monitoring TPT treatment adherence, including management of missed doses and Adverse Drug Reactions (ADRs), is of paramount importance under the National TB Elimination Programme (NTEP).

Significance of Monitoring Adherence to TPT

Adherence to the TPT course and treatment completion are important determinants of clinical benefit, both at the individual and population levels as:

Intensive Phase(IP): Consists of eight weeks (56 doses) of HRZE in daily dosages as per weight of patient.

Continuation Phase(CP): Consists of 16 weeks (112 doses) of HRE in daily dosages as per weight of patient.

Intensive Phase (IP)

Consists of eight weeks (56 doses) of HRZ in daily dosages as per weight of patient.

Daily Regimen is prescribed for Drug Sensitive TB patients (DSTB), where the patient needs to consume the FDC formulation daily.

Daily Regimen comprises the first line Anti TB drugs based on

• Age: Adult/ Pediatric
• Weight of the patient: Weight Bands

Age: Based on age, patients are categorized into

A death review or mortality audit is a means of documenting the causes of death and the factors that contributed to it, identifying factors that could be modified and actions that could prevent future deaths, putting the actions into place and reviewing the outcomes.

The aims of the audit or review of deaths in hospitals and health services are to:

The treatment for TB is demanding in terms of duration of treatment, adverse drug reactions, the requirement of prolonged adherence by patients and catastrophic expenditures. The presence of a special condition added on by a TB diagnosis makes it even more challenging.

To improve the outcomes for such challenging situations, the programme recommends certain modifications in the regimen, which are listed in the table below.

Table: Management of TB in Special Situations