Tuberculosis

TREATMENT OF TUBERCULOSIS UNDER RNTCP

The treatment of TB had been started since April 2003. In this field a qualified medical officer, STS, Lab. Technician and Para Medical Workers (PMW) have been engaged. They do the survey work and identify the TB patients. The PMW collect sputum of the patients from their door steps. The sputums are tested in the laboratory and if the patient is found positive, the treatment is started under the guidance of Medical Officer. At present we are running 15 DOTs Centers and at all the DOTs centers we have Public Private Partnership (PPP). This is a unique experiment. These DOTs centers have been opened to facilitate the patients, so that they do not go far places for getting the medicines. On all the DOTs centers separate medicine boxes have been kept for each patient. The medicines are provided to the patient and entered on the boxes. 

We may also mention here that we have been felicitated for 4 consequent years for the Best NGO award on World TB Day by the State Government for the TB work.

Tuberculosis and Dispensaries project:-

SMK having a dispensary in the Jaipur at Galta road. A qualified Medical Officer alongwith Lab Technician is also there for diagnosing and giving the medicines to the patients of the ashram and also to the ailing person of surrounding area. The Lab Technician examines the bloods, urine etc. on the microscope. The medicines are being provided to all the patients of the ashram and of the surrounding areas.

Similarly a dispensary is running at Jhotwara area of Jaipur. In this dispensary too Medical Officer along with other medical staff is posted. Medical officer looks after the patients of the others three asylums on Agra road along with the patient of surrounding area. In this dispensary free medicines are being provided to all. 

In two dispensaries at Ajmer district,  X-Ray machine facility is also made. Here too qualified Medical Officer and other medical staff is provided. The medicines and X-Ray are being provided to the patient at free of cost. The tuberculosis programme under RNTCP is also running under the care of dispensary. Vocational training in Computer is being provided at Ajmer. Some students are also getting training on this.

A dispensary in Ramgarh, Jaipur the doctor comes every weekend and provides advices & medicine according to the illness of the patients, when patient cannot be treated in our dispensary, doctor refers to Ramgarh or Jaipur government hospital, Here nurse is enable to provide daily medical service to all residents & villagers.

Gandhi Kusthashram Jodhpur having a dispensary. These inmates include leprosy affected people and their family members. This centre has a double story building, almost having separate quarters for each family. Complete medical and educational services are provided here to the inmates by SMK.

MEDICAL SUPPORT PROGRAME 

A good network of well-equipped dispensaries and clinical laboratories are being run by SMK at Galta, Jhotwara, Ajmer, Ramgarh and Jodhpur. These dispensaries have professionally sound and competent doctors and paramedical staff to cater to their needs. These medical units monitor the patients regularly for any re-occurrence of the symptoms of leprosy disease and educate them in maintaining the required hygienic conditions. Besides this scheduled job, these dispensaries offer free general medical facilities including free medicines to the village surrounding them.

SMK's Ajmer centre is mainly providing medical services to the leprosy patients and their families. These services include the treatment and care of both leprosy patients and leprosy cured patients. Main operational areas of SMK in Ajmer are Dargah and outside Dargah areas. SMK's Ajmer office is situated in Civil Lines area. Two part time trained doctors here provide their services to the beneficiaries living mainly in and around operational areas. About 90 children of leprosy patients and their communities are being provided complete educational support also

TREATMENT OF TUBERCULOSIS UNDER RNTCP

The project of TB had been started since April, 2003 at SMK, Galta Road, Jaipur. Since January 2004, SMK, Galta Road is functioning as Microscopy Centre. Besides SMK is also having another branch at Jhotwara, which is also functioning for RNTCP under Adherence Scheme since April 2004.

In this field a qualified Medical Officer, Laboratory Technician, STS and 7 Para Medical Workers are working with full swing. We are mainly working in urban slums. In order to increase the coverage of providing TB services at community level, SMK involved some private practitioners who are practicing in slums. SMK opened DOTS centres at their clinics, so that patient can collect the medicines close to their residence. At present, SMK is running 16 DOTS centres and all the centres, we have public private partnership (PPP). Population covered is 2.5 lacs.

On every working day, in the morning hours, Para Medical Workers of SMK are doing IEC work like IPC, group talks, distribution of pamphlets etc. to increase awareness in the community about TB and leprosy both. They also collect the sputum samples of chest symptomatic and transport to laboratory at Galta dispensary for examination. After diagnosis and categorization of TB patients, treatment starts at their respective DOT Centres.

Public Private Partnership:

Sarthak Manav Kushthashram is committed for strengthening the T.B. prevention through RNTCP by mass awareness and campaigns. To provide TB services at community level, SMK developed innovative model of PPP between NGO’s, PPs and Community. For RNTCP, SMK involved some PPs who are practicing in urban slums. SMK opened DOTS centers at their clinics. PPs always remain in close contact with the community. SMK is giving TB services to community by collaboration with PPs. 

PPs are not having enough time for field work like address verification, defaulter’s retrieval  action, IEC work etc. and also paper work like recording and reporting of cases. All these works are being done by volunteers of SMK under supervision of M.O. of SMK and DTO.

This model of PPP was developed first time in India by SMK and  implemented in Jaipur City. A team of National Institute of Health and Family Welfare, New Delhi, during the visit at Jaipur, found this model as highly successful and recommended for other parts of country.