Tanu Anand1, Nandini Sharma2, Shivani Chandra3, G K Ingle4, Shekhar Grover5. 1. Assistant Professor, Department of Community Medicine, North DMC Medical College, Delhi-07, India. Electronic address: drtanu.anand@gmail.com. 2. Director Professor, Department of Community Medicine, Maulana Azad Medical College, New Delhi-02, India. 3. WHO Consultant. 4. Director Professor & Head, Department of Community Medicine, Maulana Azad Medical College, Delhi-02, India. 5. Scientist B, National Institute of Cancer Prevention & Research, Noida, India.
Abstract
BACKGROUND: Burden of tuberculosis in India remains enormous. The Revised National Tuberculosis Control Programme (RNTCP), based on the Directly Observed Treatment Short course (DOTS) strategy, was launched in 1997 in India. The question of what DOTS has or has not accomplished over the past 15 years is a central technical question. OBJECTIVES: To assess the decadal impact of DOTS strategy on some epidemiological factors such as age and gender of new sputum positive (NSP) TB patients in Delhi. MATERIAL AND METHODS: Secondary Data for Delhi was obtained from the state wise performance of RNTCP (Annual Summary) for the year 2001 and year 2012. Data was analyzed in Microsoft Excel 2007. RESULTS: The population of Delhi covered under DOTS has considerably increased over the decade. The case detection rate has also shown a considerable increase from 196/100,000 population in 2001 to 306/100,000 population at the end of Quarter 3 of 2011. The number of NSP male and female patients have increased in all age groups from 2001 to 2011 except in 25-34 years age group. NSP male patients on DOTS aged 15-44 years showed a left ward shift in increase, a significant right ward shift was noted in increase in female NSP patients of similar age group. CONCLUSIONS: The decadal assessment of DOTS in Delhi on TB epidemiology has pointed towards beginning of epidemiological transition in TB control in India.
BACKGROUND: Burden of tuberculosis in India remains enormous. The Revised National Tuberculosis Control Programme (RNTCP), based on the Directly Observed Treatment Short course (DOTS) strategy, was launched in 1997 in India. The question of what DOTS has or has not accomplished over the past 15 years is a central technical question. OBJECTIVES: To assess the decadal impact of DOTS strategy on some epidemiological factors such as age and gender of new sputum positive (NSP) TBpatients in Delhi. MATERIAL AND METHODS: Secondary Data for Delhi was obtained from the state wise performance of RNTCP (Annual Summary) for the year 2001 and year 2012. Data was analyzed in Microsoft Excel 2007. RESULTS: The population of Delhi covered under DOTS has considerably increased over the decade. The case detection rate has also shown a considerable increase from 196/100,000 population in 2001 to 306/100,000 population at the end of Quarter 3 of 2011. The number of NSP male and female patients have increased in all age groups from 2001 to 2011 except in 25-34 years age group. NSP male patients on DOTS aged 15-44 years showed a left ward shift in increase, a significant right ward shift was noted in increase in female NSP patients of similar age group. CONCLUSIONS: The decadal assessment of DOTS in Delhi on TB epidemiology has pointed towards beginning of epidemiological transition in TB control in India.