Asha workers to be trained in TB Drive

To control Multi-Drug Resistant Tuberculosis (MDR-TB) in India, the Revised National Tuberculosis Control Program (RNTCP) of the Delhi Government, along with St Stephens Hospital, is planning to work with Accredited Social Health Activist (ASHA) to provide DOTS-Plus.

To control Multi-Drug Resistant Tuberculosis (MDR-TB) in India, the Revised National Tuberculosis Control Program (RNTCP) of the Delhi Government, along with St Stephens Hospital, is planning to work with Accredited Social Health Activist (ASHA) to provide DOTS-Plus.

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There are approximately 1.9 to 2.0 million new TB cases detected every year in India, with over 1, 10,000 cases of drug resistance.

Under the pilot scheme, ASHA workers will be trained and employed for MDR- TB eradication programme in the community and also complement manpower of the health department in implementing MDR-TB control initiatives.

"The challenge for the ASHAs will be to ensure that patients take MDR-TB medications every day for a period of two years and also track their side-effects, if at all," Dr Amod Kumar, HoD, Community Health Department, St Stephens Hospital and facilitator in Lilly MDR TB Partnership.

Under the present DOTS scheme, medications are given on alternate days over a period of six months.