Towards a TB-Free Future
Axshya means ‘where there is no TB’. The ultimate goal of the project is to ensure universal access to patients to quality TB services and eliminate TB. It aims to improve the rates of TB diagnosis and treatment especially for the vulnerable people in under-served communities such as women, children, tribal communities, urban slum dwellers and migrant populations who might miss out on vital TB care.
- Objectives
- Operational Area
- Activities
- Expected outcome
- Ensure universal access to TB care and diagnosis facilities provided by the government
- Educate communities on TB and the role of RNTCP & Project Axshya in elimination of TB
- Ensure referral of the positive cases to appropriate government health facilities
- Ensures ICTC cross referrals
The project was operational in eight districts in Andhra Pradesh and five in Telagana
- Actively search the positive TB cases
- Work with the private practitioners and build their capacities to ensure proper TB notification
- Identify MDR TB cases, counsel them to enhance cure rate and provide psychosocial and nutrition support & treatment adherence education
- Trace and contact presumptive TB cases and refer them to the government facilities for diagnostic cases
- Developing linkages with other local service providers such as ASHA workers and existing community-based organizations such as Support Groups and NGOs
- Developing a cadre of Volunteers and Community DOTS Providers for following up the cases that are under treatment and tracing the defaulters and bringing them back to restart the treatment.
- Generating awareness on TB
- Enhancing ‘Referral of TB suspects’ to the Designated Microscopy Centers (DMCs) run by the project
- Providing services as DOTS providers for TB patients
Despite suffering for long, Reshmi (26) was not given any attention by her family members as they were struggling to survive after the lockdown during COVID. By the time she visited the TB DOTS centre, she had severe symptoms such as weight reduction, blood in the sputum and fever. Her treatment did not begin for 10 days despite being declared positive as she was not traceable. Continuous follow-up by DIVINE Project DOTs Centre team revealed that she was hospitalized for termination of pregnancy. It took lot of efforts to convince her to start the CAT-1 treatment. But her condition was still deteriorating. A subsequent CBNAAT test showed her to be multi-drug-resistance (MDR). Reshmi was hospitalized as her condition further deteriorated. XDR treatment with associated drug regimen was started immediately as she also had a family history of XDR. She stabilized after weeks of medication and was discharged. Throughout the treatment, she experienced Cycloserine side effects such as confusion, suicidal tendencies and sadness. Her husband refused to support her but she could recover thanks to the emotional and nutritional support provided by the project team.
