Muhammad Amir Khan1, Muhammad Arif Munir1, Shirin Anil2, Maqsood Ahmad1, John Walley3, Ejaz Qadeer4, Karam Shah5, Nida Khan1, Athar Nazir1. 1. Association for Social Development, Islamabad, Pakistan. 2. College of Medicine, King Saud University, Riyadh, KSA; Public Health Solutions Pakistan, Lahore, Pakistan. 3. Nuffield Center for International Health, University of Leeds, UK. 4. National Tuberculosis control Program Pakistan. 5. World Health Organization for EMRO.
Abstract
OBJECTIVE: To develop and evaluate a more structured process for effective tuberculosis control monitoring. METHODS: The quasi-experimental exploratory study was conducted from April 2007 to January 2008 in the Punjab province of Pakistan. Eight intervention districts were compared with eight control districts. Intervention consisted of managers using performance monitoring guidelines and tools for monitoring meetings at the facility and district levels. Proportion of tuberculosis suspects among outpatients, registered confirmed cases and patients' default rate were monitored. Semi-structured interviews were done to assess the experience of the participants. RESULTS: The proportion of TB suspects among outpatient attendees was significantly higher in the intervention districts (95% confidence interval 1.6-1.8%). The pre-registration default also showed difference (p=0.07). The case finding during 9 months of the intervention showed 96.3% increase compared to the 9 months of the preceding year. CONCLUSIONS: The new process was effective in improving tuberculosis case finding. The process may be used to improve tuberculosis monitoring systems and other such healthcare services.
OBJECTIVE: To develop and evaluate a more structured process for effective tuberculosis control monitoring. METHODS: The quasi-experimental exploratory study was conducted from April 2007 to January 2008 in the Punjab province of Pakistan. Eight intervention districts were compared with eight control districts. Intervention consisted of managers using performance monitoring guidelines and tools for monitoring meetings at the facility and district levels. Proportion of tuberculosis suspects among outpatients, registered confirmed cases and patients' default rate were monitored. Semi-structured interviews were done to assess the experience of the participants. RESULTS: The proportion of TB suspects among outpatient attendees was significantly higher in the intervention districts (95% confidence interval 1.6-1.8%). The pre-registration default also showed difference (p=0.07). The case finding during 9 months of the intervention showed 96.3% increase compared to the 9 months of the preceding year. CONCLUSIONS: The new process was effective in improving tuberculosis case finding. The process may be used to improve tuberculosis monitoring systems and other such healthcare services.
Entities:
Keywords:
Tuberculosis, Delivery of healthcare, National health programmes, District hospitals, Monitoring.