CHENNAI: The Health and Family Welfare Department is soon planning to launch the Joint Effort for Elimination of Tuberculosis (JEET) programme in Chennai and 22 districts in the state, which aims to increase TB cases notification by private doctors.
Despite TB being a notifiable disease (any disease that is required by law to be reported to government authorities), many private clinics are not doing it. To sensitise the doctors to the need for notifying TB cases, the Tamil Nadu Revised National Tuberculosis Control Programme (TNRNTCP) and Clinton Health Foundation, NGO, in coordination with Indian Medical Association (IMA), are launching the JEET programme.
The programme funded by a global fund grant was launched by the Union Health Ministry and is being implemented in a few states. Speaking to Express, Dr K Senthilraj, State TB Officer, said, “The estimated number of TB cases treated in Tamil Nadu per annum is 60,000-70,000, but now we get notified only about 15,000 cases roughly. Notification is important to follow up the cases, provide advocacy, ensure treatment and avoid transmission. So, we had meetings with the IMA to sensitise the doctors to the issue,” he added.
The Health Department will also supply free tablets to TB patients in private hospitals, who will be educated on the subsidies they are entitled to, said Senthilraj. “Roughly 35-45 per cent of TB cases are treated in private hospitals. These people should be included in the government sector. Now, it is our concern of priority. Now, we will make sure that these cases are notified to the Health Department, “ said Dr J A Jayalal, state president, Indian Medical Association (IMA).
“The IMA will also conduct the Continuing Medical Education programme in the first week of September for doctors to sensitise them to this issue. Apart from that, 20 doctors will be selected in each district for additional intensive training on the notification. The Health Department is also planning to launch a mobile app to notify the cases quickly. We will educate the doctors on it,” said Dr Jayalal.
Jayalal further said that earlier there were a few concerns over notifying the cases, but now the Health Department has addressed them. The officials assured that the patients’ identities would be protected, and counselling done in the private hospital itself unlike in the past, when the public health workers will visit the home of the patient.
Government docs to stage demonstration today
Chennai: The Joint Action Committee of the Government Doctors Associations (JACGDA) will conduct a statewide demonstration for one hour at all government hospitals on Monday. According to a JACGDA statement, following the demonstration on Monday, the doctors will conduct a rally towards the Collectorate in Chennai on Friday. “After the rally, we will conduct a noncooperative movement, that is, we will not send daily reports to the officials, and also won’t attend official meetings,” said Dr A Rama-lingam, a member of JACGDA