Karnataka Health Promotion Trust (KHPT) which is implementing the Tuberculosis Health Action Learning Initiative (THALI), a four-year USAID-funded programme, is enabling access to quality TB services with a focus on private health service delivery in Bengaluru and Hyderabad by TB Alert India.
THALI accelerates efforts to eliminate TB in Bengaluru, Karnataka and Hyderabad, Telangana through multi-sectoral collaboration. It will integrate with the Revised National Tuberculosis Control Program (RNTCP). The objective is to work towards eliminating the disease in the country which accounts for 23 percent of the world TB burden. Left uncontrolled the disease is a huge economic burden and a medical drain as it accounts for fatality of 600 persons.
The THALI model is designed to support priority populations and health care providers managing TB. It enables seamless access to high quality TB diagnosis and treatment services, especially for vulnerable populations. It uses innovative solutions to reach and benefit more people. Therefore THALI as an interface strengthens health systems and inter-sectoral collaboration fills gaps in service delivery and works with existing market forces, Parul Singh, Communications Specialist, THALi told Pharmabiz.
“The initiative improves awareness, stimulates behavior change, enables person-centered care and explores non-traditional investment in TB control, care and prevention,” she added.
According to KHPT, it reaches a population of about 14 million people, including 3 million living in urban poor communities. These include priority sub-populations which include women, children and the elderly, who tend to be additionally marginalized, neglected and prone to inequitable access to health care. Then there are those persons with co-morbid conditions, especially with HIV/AIDS, under-nutrition and diabetes, conditions which enhance the onset of TB disease and complicate, delay or compromise treatment outcomes. People working in high-risk occupations like construction and textile industries which compromise lung function and migrant workers who lack family and social support are more likely to interrupt treatment also form as a critical component of the initiative.
The effort fosters desired behaviour change among five interlinked stakeholder groups like the health seeking by people living in urban slums for early diagnosis and initiation of treatment. It ensures adoption of standards for TB care by private health care providers. Further, it focuses on treatment compliance by TB patients, and prevention of spread of the dreaded disease, she said.
Additional public sector commitment and stewardship, for improved urban TB services, investment in TB control, care and prevention by corporate and non-traditional investors are also under its ambit for KHPT.