STS

Broad principles to address gender inequalities in TB care

Who can provide Psychosocial support?

Family Members, Peer groups, treatment support groups, TB Champions, Community Health Volunteers(CHVs) and NGOs can provide psychosocial support to TB patients and their families by:

Yoga

Community engagement is a process of developing relationships that enable stakeholders to work together to address health-related issues and promote well-being to achieve positive health impact and outcomes.

Mobilize communities to engage them in TB care and to increase ownership of the Programme by communities.

Community-based TB activities are conducted outside the premises of formal health facilities (e.g. hospitals and clinics) in community-based structures (e.g. schools and places of worship) and homesteads. Community health workers and community volunteers carry out community-based TB activities. Both can be supported by nongovernmental organizations and/or the government.

• Scaling up community participation in the National TB Elimination Programme through community-led activities and working with various community groups, especially TB survivors and key populations

• Empower TB survivors and affected populations to act as mentor’s/change agents and build their capacity for engaging them in programme planning, implementation and monitoring

A TB Champion is a person who has been affected by TB and successfully completed the treatment.

TB Champions, in their capacity as survivors, are role models and can provide valuable support to those with TB and their families.

Figure: Roles of TB Champion

1. All TB patients notified on or continues treatment after 1st April 2018 including all existing TB patients under treatment are eligible to receive incentives.
2. For availing DBT scheme benefits under NTEP Programme, TB patients have to provide their bank details to the nearest NTEP Health facility.
3. The patient must be registered\notified on the NIKSHAY portal.

Awareness should be generated in the community for promoting various health programmes, health seeking behaviours, screening of TB cases etc. by involving and sensitizing community influencers including PRI members and treatment support groups.

Figure: Activities for awareness generation in community

Do’s

• Active listening, emphatic gestures and expressions
• Ensure the confidentiality of the conversation done with the patient
• Ensure Minimum interruption during the conversation with patient
• Ensuring availability of IEC materials such as posters, videos, pamphlets etc. to dispel myths and misconceptions.

Don'ts