Access to Rights and Knowledge (ARK) foundation has highlighted “some critical finding and key concerns” relating to the TB programme in the state and urged the Revised National Tuberculosis Control Programme (RNTCP), department of Health and Family Welfare (H&FW), to analyse and adopt some of its critical feedbacks.
In a press release, ARK foundation president, Ketho Angami, has described RNTCP report on World Tuberculosis (TB) Day as “eyewash to convince the public”, saying RNTCP needed to put greater effort to test and treat latent tuberculosis infection (LTBI). Currently, the foundation stated that the only way to do so was only through Central TB Division (CTD)’s initiatives, which provides INH based Isoniazid preventive therapy (IPT) to few selective risk populations.
ARK foundation claimed that the drug has in the past faced stock-outs many a time. It also claimed that drug was not being provided as a regular and complete package since Pyridoxine Vitamin B6 was missing. The foundation claimed that it had in the past advocated a couple of times with RNTCP and the National Health Mission (NHM), but still not been provided even to the PLHIVs by the government.
In this regard, ARK foundation has advised RNTCP to make V B6 available and to ensure that such stock-outs did not happen again. It has asked RNTCP to coordinate with NSACS and to also advocate with CTD for the other newer prevention therapy with Rifapentine as 3HP.
On the nutritional aspects during TB treatment, ARK foundation alleged that beneficiaries were not getting the direct bank monetary transfer through Nikshay. During the course of the treatment, the foundation said it was important to have access to nutritional supports, adding that getting such benefit after the treatment did not help much.
Further, ARK foundation questioned the state RNTCP as to why there has been a lapse of Direct Benefit Transfer (DBT) for the nutritional support for the beneficiaries.
ARK foundation also suggested conducting massive TB awareness campaigns across the state by taking advantage of the existing NGOs working in AIDS Control programmes, and not just conduct such a campaign on a “once a year basis” by observing World TB Day alone. “In this resource constraint settings, it is important to make use of the existing health machineries”, said Ketho while suggesting partnering with AIDS NGOs, which would also in turn help enhance coordination of TB correlation with HIV in the state.
Pointing out that TB continued to be the main killer of people living with HIV, Ketho said there was an urgent need for PLHIV community to be empowered on the aspect of TB and have access to prevention and treatment facilities. “And this includes access to the new drugs Bedaquiline and Delaminid and TB test such as LAM test,” he said.
Meanwhile, ARK foundation urged Principal Secretary H&FW, Himato Zhimomi, to convene a consultation workshop for all relevant NGOs, CSOs and health division of the state, to deliberate on strategies and develop a way forward action plan to eliminate TB in the state.