Systematic screening of all individuals of a defined population is known as active case finding. It is applied outside of health facilities at the community level by the health system.
Objective of ACF is to:
TPT treatment options recommended under NTEP include:
The key level for the management of public health services is the district level. The District Tuberculosis Centre (DTC) is the nodal point for tuberculosis (TB) control activities in the district.
Functions of the DTC
The primary role of the DTC is a managerial one. The DTC is the central program management unit of the district responsible for all activities related to National TB Elimination Programme (NTEP) implementation such as:
Those who are suspected of having TB disease are first screened for symptoms like cough and fever for more than 2 weeks, blood stained sputum and weight-loss. If found positive on screening, then TB patients are referred for testing to the nearest health facility. If diagnosed with TB, then they are subsequently initiated on treatment.
The State TB Cell or STC is the state-level implementing structure of the National TB Elimination Program (NTEP). It is the leading institution for management of NTEP activities at the state level.
The STC is a State Government entity that acts as the bridge between the Central and State Governments for implementing the NTEP. It works under the guidance of the Central TB Division (CTD), and it oversees the program implementation at the districts.
National Tuberculosis Elimination Programme (NTEP) is a centrally sponsored programme being implemented under the aegis of National Health Mission.
National Level: Managed by Central TB Division (CTD), the technical arm of the Ministry of Health and Family Welfare (MOHFW)
The National Strategic Plan (NSP) for TB elimination 2017–25 is a bold strategic framework to drive the acceleration of progress toward TB Elimination, and achieving the Sustainable Development Goal (SDG) and End TB targets for India. It expects to guide the activities of all stakeholders including the national and state governments, development partners, civil society organizations, international agencies, research institutions, private sector, and many others whose work is relevant to TB elimination in India.
The Standards for TB Care in India (STCI), which is a locally customized version of the International Standards of Tuberculosis Care,
TB is one of the top burdensome infectious diseases in India. It is estimated that, around 1/4th (26%) of the world's TB cases are in India, translating to about 30 Lakhs new TB cases emerging each year (TB incidence). Against this estimated incidence the National TB Elimination program reported around 19 lakh new and relapse cases in the year 2021.
Tuberculosis is transmitted mainly through the air via droplet nuclei generated when a TB patient coughs or sneezes.
It is estimated that every sputum smear-positive patient spreads the infection to 10 – 15 persons annually, if untreated..
Figure: Transmission of TB bacteria through air via droplet
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