Extending tuberculosis notification to the private sector in India: programmatic challenges?

In May 2012, the Government of India declared tuberculosis a notifiable disease, requiring all public and private health sectors throughout the country to report all cases. Until then, TB disease was notifiable only by public authorities. In India, the private sector dominates anti-tuberculosis treatment, and poorly managed cases lead to severe forms of TB. Several challenges need to be addressed for effective implementation, including the creation of an electronic case-based web-based mechanism for TB notification. Stricter enforcement backed by regulation and punitive measures for non-compliance, along with vigilant mechanisms in place to monitor private health facilities, is required. Massive campaigns and advocacy programmes for a notification drive may be the way forward.