NGO Women Empowerment India West Bengal Kolkata

CARE - IMPACT Program

The project, titled 'Initiative to Manage People Centered Alliances in Control of Tuberculosis (TB)’ (IMPACT), is being implemented in Malda and Murshidabad districts of West Bengal by Southern Health Improvement Samity, in collaboration and support from CARE India. The project is working in close coordination with the Revised National TB Control Program (RNTCP) and National AIDS Control Program (NACP). This project focuses on RNTCP's sub-district level structures: the TB Treatment Units (TUs) in Malda and Murshidabad districts of the state where case detection and cure rate are below the global targets. The project is carrying out intensive community based TB control activities in these TUs in these two district initially. The goal of

IMPACT is to support RNTCP to decrease the morbidity and mortality caused b y tuberculosis, MDR TB and HIV co-infection in West Bengal in India. The project will achieve this goal through the following strategic objectives: Intensify and expand community based DOTS in the poor performing TUs; Strengthen the case holding and completion of treatment among re-treatment and MDR patients. Strengthen the TB-HIV coordination at state and district level to improve cross referrals.

Activities done :

(1) Mapping of existing Health Facilities (TU, BPHC, PHC, Sub-centre), DOT provider, TB patients (Specially-Retreatment cases).

(2) Identified TU wise resource person for conducting various sensitization programme.

(3) Started ideal TU level meeting.

(4) Listed the Non Qualified Private Practitioner (NQPP) and Sensitize them after short Listing.

(5) Regular follow up with the Sensitized NQPP for more cases, referred to system Level.

(6) Identified locally influential persons as a Volunteer and sensitize them at system level so as to use them as a Contact person of any TB patients of their village area.

(7) Regular follow up for running of functional volunteers.

(8) Identified local potential SHG. (Self Help Group) member and FBO (Faith Base Organization) member, then Sensitize them on RNTCP.

(9) Every month organized PHI wise Patient Provider Meeting with the target group of CAT-I & CAT-II new patients and irregular patients.

(10) Continuously counseled to CAT-I & CAT-II new patients and irregular patients.

(11) Joint Patient counseled with system level.(STS, STLS, Health Supervisor, ANM).

(12) Linked the poor TB Patients with different welfare scheme of Govt.

(13) Every month up dated report shared with System level (DTO, BMOH, MOTC, STS, STLS, Health Supervisor, and ANM.)

(14) Participation at Health MIS Meeting, GP development Meeting, 4th Saturday CHCMI meeting.

(15) World TB Day observation at all Block area in two districts.

Future plan : In the light of our experience with this project at Murshidabad & Malda, we are eager to carryout similar project for 32 lakh strong population of Birbhum district which is equally backward with large section of tribal and minority population. Large areas in this district remains unserved / under served by any effective governmental health services. We are interested to carryout similar services here provided we get a grant of about Rs. 15 lakh per year from interested donors, Foreign or Indian.