PRATAM

The Pharmacies and RHCP as TB Care Animators and Motivators (PRATAM) project recognizes that if home remedies do not work, patients avoid going to a doctor as the first point of contact. Instead they approach their nearest pharmacist (chemist) or Rural Health Care Providers (RHCPs)for medication. This is a challenge as chemists or RHCPs are not well-informed about identifying presumptive TB cases and fail to refer them to the government programme. The PRATAM project addressed this gap by building the capacities of the Chemists and RHCPs on timely identification of TB presumptive cases.
Operational Area
The project was operational in 15 Tuberculosis Units (TUs) each covering around 2, 50,000 population in the South Indian state of Telangana.

Objectives

  • Build the capacities of the pharmacists and RHCPs in identifying TB symptomatic persons and referring as well as linking them to testing and treatment facilities run by RNTCP at an early stage.
  • Sensitizing and training pharmacists and RHCPs with active engagement of their respective associations

Approach

PRATAM project adopted an approach of working with the respective associations of Pharmacists and RHCPs. Moreover, it also used peer motivators who were also pharmacists and RHCPs and were instrumental in maintaining the interest and motivation of their peers and actively engaging them in referral and DOTS provision.

Activities

  • Building capacities of the Pharmacists and RHCPs in identifying the TB symptomatic cases and referring them for testing and treatment to facilities run by RNTCP
  • Identification and capacity building of Peer motivators

Shruthi is a 19-year-old college girl. As she fell ill very frequently, her parents took her to nearby healthcare provider for treatment. He gave her antibiotics and as a result her condition improved a little. But once the course used to be over her illness relapsed. She was also taken to a black-magician for treatment.

Due to these treatments and torture she became mentally and physically weak. Her brother consulted a pharmacist from a nearby medical shop who was enrolled with PRATAM. He advised them to get Shruthi tested for TB at nearby RNTCP unit. She was diagnosed positive for TB and put on DOTS treatment. It helped that the pharmacist was trained and suspected her to be TB presumptive case. This helped Shruthi to get timely treatment.

Expected outcome

  • Pharmacists and RHCPs were identified, sensitized and trained. It impacted the number of TB symptomatic persons / presumptive cases getting referred to the TB units of the RNTCP and reaching the testing and treatment facilities.