INCREASED UTILIZATION OF CBNAAT FOR SAMPLES AND IMPROVED PRIVATE TB NOTIFICATION AFTER ENGAGING SAMPLE COLLECTION AGENT FOR PRIVATE SECTOR IN DISTRICT OF KHAMMAM, TELANGANA, INDIA

Dr. V. Subba Rao, *Dr. C. Sumalata and Dr. Vijay Chouhan

ABSTRACT

Background: Involving a huge unorganized private sector in TB program in India remained a challenge despite the release of Gazette for Notification of Tuberculosis. Involving professional bodies and mapping the private care providers helped a little to start with, but establishing a sustained linkage remained a challenge. A study was conducted where an identified sample collection and Transport (SCT) agent improved our services to patients seeking care in private sector and enabled a paradigm shift from clinically diagnosed to evidence based TB diagnosis. Aims & objectives: To compare the services before and after introduction of Sample collection (SCT) agent enabling TB services to patients seeking care in private sector. Methodology: The study was conducted in Khammam District over a period of 16months (from January 2018 to April 2019).The performance was assessed in two parts i.e January 2018 to August 2018 (initial 8 months and September 2018-April 2019 (later 8 months). A person was designated as Sample collection agent in August 2018 and he was introduced to all private providers for linking sample collection and Transport and testing at CBNAAT(catridge based nucleic acid amplification test). Results: The total samples tested from January 2018 to August 2018 were 2400 where as tested during September 2018 to April 2019 were 4436 (an increase of 2036). The private samples tested were 105 during first eight months of 2018 and dramatically increased to 1091 during September 2018 to April 2019.The number of samples which showed rifampicin sensitive and resistant were 30 and 4 during first 8 months of 2018 and 249 and 26 respectively during latter period of study. Conclusion: Involving a trained personnel in linking private and public samples helps to improve samples tested in CBNAAT as well as private notification.

Keywords: Tuberculosis, SCT agent Notification, CBNAAT services.