SETTING: In the remote hills of North-East Nepal tuberculosis case-finding is believed to be low. The Britain-Nepal Medical Trust (BNMT), a well funded non-governmental organisation supporting Tuberculosis Control Programmes in this area, has a stable structure and sufficiently high case-holding to explore ways to increase case-finding. OBJECTIVES: To increase case-finding without decreasing case-holding, by expanding outreach services into remote areas away from existing health services. DESIGN: Between 1990 and 1993, 45 temporary outreach tuberculosis diagnostic "microscopy camps' were run in the eight districts covered by the BNMT (population 1330000). Camp-diagnosed patients were followed up by cohort. RESULTS: The camps did not appreciably increase the low rate of case-finding. However, the percentage of women who attended the camps was significantly higher than at existing services, as was the number diagnosed with smear-positive tuberculosis. The cured treatment completion rate of this camp-diagnosed cohort was 76%. Cost analysis revealed a low overall additional cost to the programme; however, it would be prohibitively expensive for an under-funded government health service. CONCLUSIONS: The implications of these camps go beyond tuberculosis control in their ability to reach those who would otherwise not utilise health care facilities.
SETTING: In the remote hills of North-East Nepal tuberculosis case-finding is believed to be low. The Britain-Nepal Medical Trust (BNMT), a well funded non-governmental organisation supporting Tuberculosis Control Programmes in this area, has a stable structure and sufficiently high case-holding to explore ways to increase case-finding. OBJECTIVES: To increase case-finding without decreasing case-holding, by expanding outreach services into remote areas away from existing health services. DESIGN: Between 1990 and 1993, 45 temporary outreach tuberculosis diagnostic "microscopy camps' were run in the eight districts covered by the BNMT (population 1330000). Camp-diagnosed patients were followed up by cohort. RESULTS: The camps did not appreciably increase the low rate of case-finding. However, the percentage of women who attended the camps was significantly higher than at existing services, as was the number diagnosed with smear-positive tuberculosis. The cured treatment completion rate of this camp-diagnosed cohort was 76%. Cost analysis revealed a low overall additional cost to the programme; however, it would be prohibitively expensive for an under-funded government health service. CONCLUSIONS: The implications of these camps go beyond tuberculosis control in their ability to reach those who would otherwise not utilise health care facilities.
Authors: Amod K Pokhrel; Michael N Bates; Sharat C Verma; Hari S Joshi; Chandrashekhar T Sreeramareddy; Kirk R Smith Journal: Environ Health Perspect Date: 2010-04 Impact factor: 9.031
Authors: Katharina Kranzer; Stephen D Lawn; Gesine Meyer-Rath; Anna Vassall; Eudoxia Raditlhalo; Darshini Govindasamy; Nienke van Schaik; Robin Wood; Linda-Gail Bekker Journal: PLoS Med Date: 2012-08-07 Impact factor: 11.069
Authors: L Telisinghe; M Ruperez; M Amofa-Sekyi; L Mwenge; T Mainga; R Kumar; M Hassan; L H Chaisson; F Naufal; A E Shapiro; J E Golub; C Miller; E L Corbett; R M Burke; P MacPherson; R J Hayes; V Bond; C Daneshvar; E Klinkenberg; H M Ayles Journal: EClinicalMedicine Date: 2021-09-22