Private doctors' help raises TB detection
States Dhaka-based research
Involving private medical practitioners in National Tuberculosis Control Programme's (NTP) activities dramatically increased tuberculosis (TB) detection and cure rates, said researchers at a workshop yesterday.
Public-private partnership increased the detection rate from 32 to 72.5 percent while 92 percent of TB patients who received treatment were cured, as per a research project, “Public-Private Partnership in TB Controlâ€, they said.
The research was conducted by NTP of Directorate General of Health Services (DGHS); University of Leeds, UK; and Society for Empowerment, Education and Development; in Dhaka between 2004 and 2008.
The research's principal investigator, Dr AN Zafar Ullah, presented the major findings at the workshop in MIS Conference Room of DGHS in the capital.
Regardless of income or area of residence, private sector healthcare is popular and an important player in health service provision, he said.
He explained that since TB was particularly prevalent among people of lower socio-economic status, ensuring free treatment was very important.
“We have seen that over 50 percent of people with TB go to private practitioners where there is a lack of follow up and record keeping procedures. This increases the chances of ending up with drug resistant TB bacteria.
“To solve the crisis, we went to private doctors in Dhaka and provided them free training on TB and informed them about the national TB control programme that serves patients for free,†he said.
The project is now being scaled up in Sylhet and Chittagong regions, said Zafar.
Besides, the TB control programme is also trying to contain TB among garment workers, he added.
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