Tuberculosis patients must be monitored, say doctors

Stating that Tamil Nadu has started the Direct Beneficiary System of giving each patient Rs 500 every month, Dr S Kumar, Nodal Officer, Multi Drug Resistant (MDR) TB, said, “Nutrition support is also being provided to the patients.”

However, pulmonologist Dr Karthik K, said, “We still have not succeeded in dealing with psycho-social factors like stigma, social discrimination, and low awareness. This can only be done with help from community-based groups that undertake mobilisation activities to tackle negative psycho-social implications of the disease.”

It may be noted that over 77,000,000 persons are being covered under the Revised National Tuberculosis Control Program (RNTCP) in the state, and there are many more who may be suffering from the disease and have not been registered. “In addition to advancing the existing programme components, PSS was introduced to help support patients during the treatment period with the provision of incentives, nutrition support as well as creating linkages to other social welfare programmes. As a result, patients are given Rs 500 each, every month, to ensure they get the adequate nutrition – which is very essential while suffering with TB,” he added.

He stressed on the importance of carrying out steps to monitor and evaluate the success of PSS.

“Merely introducing this programme is not enough. Steps must also be taken to ensure it is being successfully administered by keeping a check on the impact it has among patients,” he added.