Rapid DOTS expansion in India

Since late 1998 the coverage of the DOTS strategy in India has been expanded rapidly. In both 2000 and 2001 the country probably accounted for more than half the global increase in the number of patients treated under DOTS and by early 2002 more than a million patients were being treated in this way...

Full description

Bibliographic Details
Main Authors: Khatri G.R., Frieden Thomas R.
Format: Article
Language:English
Published: The World Health Organization 2002-01-01
Series:Bulletin of the World Health Organization
Subjects:
Online Access:http://www.scielosp.org/scielo.php?script=sci_arttext&pid=S0042-96862002000600009
_version_ 1827333404256894976
author Khatri G.R.
Frieden Thomas R.
author_facet Khatri G.R.
Frieden Thomas R.
author_sort Khatri G.R.
collection DOAJ
description Since late 1998 the coverage of the DOTS strategy in India has been expanded rapidly. In both 2000 and 2001 the country probably accounted for more than half the global increase in the number of patients treated under DOTS and by early 2002 more than a million patients were being treated in this way in India. As a result, nearly 200 000 lives were saved. The lessons learnt relate to the importance of the following elements of the programme: (1) getting the science right and ensuring technical excellence; (2) building commitment and ensuring the provision of funds and flexibility in their utilization; (3) maintaining focus and priorities; (4) systematically appraising each area before starting service delivery; (5) ensuring an uninterrupted drug supply; (6) strengthening the established infrastructure and providing support for staff; (7) supporting the infrastructure required in urban areas; (8) ensuring full-time independent technical support and supervision, particularly during the initial phases of implementation; (9) monitoring intensively and giving timely feedback; and (10) continuous supervision. Tuberculosis (TB) control still faces major challenges in India. To reach its potential, the control programme needs to: continue to expand so as to cover the remaining half of the country, much of which has a weaker health infrastructure than the areas already covered; increase its reach in the areas already covered so that a greater proportion of patients is treated; ensure sustainability; improve the patient-friendliness of services; confront TB associated with human immunodeficiency virus (HIV) infection. It is expected that HIV will increase the number of TB cases by at least 10% and by a considerably higher percentage if HIV becomes much more widespread. India's experience shows that DOTS can achieve high case-detection and cure rates even with imperfect technology and often with an inadequate public health infrastructure. However, this can only happen if the delivery programme is appropriately designed and effectively managed.
first_indexed 2024-03-07T17:21:46Z
format Article
id doaj.art-0e40e3fdf37a4dbc8cfde1437f0ff2af
institution Directory Open Access Journal
issn 0042-9686
language English
last_indexed 2024-03-07T17:21:46Z
publishDate 2002-01-01
publisher The World Health Organization
record_format Article
series Bulletin of the World Health Organization
spelling doaj.art-0e40e3fdf37a4dbc8cfde1437f0ff2af2024-03-02T19:36:09ZengThe World Health OrganizationBulletin of the World Health Organization0042-96862002-01-01806457463Rapid DOTS expansion in IndiaKhatri G.R.Frieden Thomas R.Since late 1998 the coverage of the DOTS strategy in India has been expanded rapidly. In both 2000 and 2001 the country probably accounted for more than half the global increase in the number of patients treated under DOTS and by early 2002 more than a million patients were being treated in this way in India. As a result, nearly 200 000 lives were saved. The lessons learnt relate to the importance of the following elements of the programme: (1) getting the science right and ensuring technical excellence; (2) building commitment and ensuring the provision of funds and flexibility in their utilization; (3) maintaining focus and priorities; (4) systematically appraising each area before starting service delivery; (5) ensuring an uninterrupted drug supply; (6) strengthening the established infrastructure and providing support for staff; (7) supporting the infrastructure required in urban areas; (8) ensuring full-time independent technical support and supervision, particularly during the initial phases of implementation; (9) monitoring intensively and giving timely feedback; and (10) continuous supervision. Tuberculosis (TB) control still faces major challenges in India. To reach its potential, the control programme needs to: continue to expand so as to cover the remaining half of the country, much of which has a weaker health infrastructure than the areas already covered; increase its reach in the areas already covered so that a greater proportion of patients is treated; ensure sustainability; improve the patient-friendliness of services; confront TB associated with human immunodeficiency virus (HIV) infection. It is expected that HIV will increase the number of TB cases by at least 10% and by a considerably higher percentage if HIV becomes much more widespread. India's experience shows that DOTS can achieve high case-detection and cure rates even with imperfect technology and often with an inadequate public health infrastructure. However, this can only happen if the delivery programme is appropriately designed and effectively managed.http://www.scielosp.org/scielo.php?script=sci_arttext&pid=S0042-96862002000600009BCG vaccineMycobacterium bovis/immunologyMycobacterium bovis/geneticsMycobacterium tuberculosis/immunologyMycobacterium tuberculosis/geneticsDrug evaluationPreclinicalModelsAnimalClinical trialsPhase IResearch
spellingShingle Khatri G.R.
Frieden Thomas R.
Rapid DOTS expansion in India
Bulletin of the World Health Organization
BCG vaccine
Mycobacterium bovis/immunology
Mycobacterium bovis/genetics
Mycobacterium tuberculosis/immunology
Mycobacterium tuberculosis/genetics
Drug evaluation
Preclinical
Models
Animal
Clinical trials
Phase I
Research
title Rapid DOTS expansion in India
title_full Rapid DOTS expansion in India
title_fullStr Rapid DOTS expansion in India
title_full_unstemmed Rapid DOTS expansion in India
title_short Rapid DOTS expansion in India
title_sort rapid dots expansion in india
topic BCG vaccine
Mycobacterium bovis/immunology
Mycobacterium bovis/genetics
Mycobacterium tuberculosis/immunology
Mycobacterium tuberculosis/genetics
Drug evaluation
Preclinical
Models
Animal
Clinical trials
Phase I
Research
url http://www.scielosp.org/scielo.php?script=sci_arttext&pid=S0042-96862002000600009
work_keys_str_mv AT khatrigr rapiddotsexpansioninindia
AT friedenthomasr rapiddotsexpansioninindia