Fighting TB in Vulnerable Workforces
Campaign for Education, Prevention and Treatment of TB (CEPT) was a project that aimed at improving the health of TB affected women, children and people living with HIV & AIDS (PLHA) especially from the disadvantaged groups such as labourers from textile, brick, gauze & bandage, and match & firework factories who are prone to TB infections due to dust pollution.
OPERATIONAL AREA
The CEPT Project was implemented in all the 11 blocks of the Virudhunagar District and 6 blocks of the Kanchipuram District. These districts of Tamil Nadu were selected as they are home to large numbers of socially and economically disadvantaged populations.
- Objectives
- Approach
- Activities
- Expected outcome
- Strengthen the community response to TB
- Improve the access of the TB affected communities to TB services such as diagnosis and treatment at the government facilities and contribute to improved health.
- Build the overall knowledge of the TB affected communities and general communities about general health education, personal hygiene, importance of sanitation and nutritious food.
- Raise awareness of the TB affected communities on government schemes such as Old Age Pension (OAP), Widow Pension and Disability Pension.
- Reduce the stigma and discrimination faced by the TB affected PLHAs.
CEPT adopted an approach of organizing the TB affected communities into Rainbow TB Association (RTBF) and building their capacities. Moreover, activities such as distributing IEC material and conducting Behaviour Change Communication were also adopted under the project.
- Bringing the TB Patients and other groups under the umbrella of TB Forums
- Distributing IEC material in the target groups for creating awareness
- Conducting health education activities to reach wider population
- Linking the identified patients to the TB units for notification, referral and treatment
- Raised awareness about TB services among the marginalised communities with special reference to women, children and PLHAs
- Increased knowledge about general health education, personal hygiene, importance of sanitation and nutritious food in the targeted communities and general population.
- Improved access of the PLHAs to the government facilities offering TB services such as diagnosis and treatment resulting into improved health
- Increase in the number of people with TB symptoms accessing designated TB diagnostic facilities for initial sputum test
- Decrease in stigma and discrimination towards the PLHAs affected by TB
