Dr Rajesh K Sood, District TB Officer of Kangra district where TB Free India Summit was held, shared innovative ways he has engaged different sectors to improve TB programme outcomes on the ground. In 2014, when supply-chain issues had temporarily crippled the MDR-TB programme with some drugs going out of stock, he reached out to local philanthropists and citizens networks, via social media channels, appealing them to come forward with help so that patients can continue with uninterrupted supply of quality-assured medicines for MDR-TB. Drug stock-outs propel drug resistance as well as increases the risk of treatment failure, even death. "Within minutes we were flooded with calls offering help. This led to formation of a 'medicine bank' with donations in kind which helped patients to complete treatment and reduce their out of pocket expense on health" said Dr RK Sood.
Another group of citizens donated water campers for DOTS centres. Patients need to take their TB medicines with water which was available at a distance from the DOTS centres. So installing these water campers at the DOTS centres made it convenient for the patients, said Dr RK Sood.
Dr Sood's team successfully engaged a bank in TB control too. Yes Bank helped the fight against TB in Kangra by raising awareness on cough hygiene. Posters on cough hygiene and sputum microscopy related messages were displayed by the bank in every designated microscopy centres (DMCs) and other public places in remote areas. These posters also have information about TB testing facilities at various DMCs.
Those who were sadly orphaned or widowed due to TB were identified in Kangra and nutritional support provided to these families with support from Rotary Club Palampur. Nutrition plays a key role not only during TB treatment but also in helping prevent development of active TB disease. The staple cereals grown in local farms or available via public distribution system of government were not included rather this nutritional support provided items like pulses, condiments and spices, cooking oils among others, informed Dr RK Sood.
GAIL India is country's largest natural gas company with corporate social responsibility (CSR) budget of INR 810 million (INR 81 crores) for 2016-2017. GAIL India runs a mobile medical clinic which also provides TB services in Pata, a site of its major petrochemical plant. This van has medical doctors including pathologists, and people to raise awareness. It will soon get equipped with a Gene Xpert machine too (molecular diagnostics for TB which reliably tells within 100 minutes whether a person has TB and if the person is resistant to Rifampicin) said GAIL's representative.
Delhi Metro Rail Corporation (DMRC) was represented by PK Pathak, Deputy General Manager (DGM) for Operations. DMRC carries almost 2 million people daily across Delhi and neighbouring parts of national capital region. Sensing the potential of how DMRC staff members can help bolster TB awareness among their family members and wider communities, DMRC partnered with the International Union Against TB and Lung Disease (The Union) to organize sessions at its own DMRC Training Institute for raising awareness among staff on TB.
Infrastructure Leasing & Financial Services Limited (IL&FS) is an Indian infrastructure development and finance company. Its representative promised to consider integrating TB component in their community interventions around the road development projects. Moradabad-Bareilly highway and Bilaspur, are some of the sites where they are actively considering adding TB programming as a part of their interventions for local communities. It has earlier been supported by the Global Fund to fight AIDS, TB and Malaria (The Global Fund) for HIV and migrant populations related interventions.
Malnutrition defeats TB prevention, control and care in several ways. Undoubtedly to make TB prevention, control and care successful, nutrition is of essence. Recognizing this gap, Johnson and Johnson chipped in and provided nutritional support to over 3700 TB patients in Maharashtra. It has also contributed to diagnosing TB in over 5000 patients in Maharashtra.
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