Tuberculosis and COVID-19 are infectious diseases which primarily attack the lungs. They present with similar symptoms of cough, fever and difficulty in breathing, although TB disease has a longer incubation period and a slower onset of disease.
Screen patients for symptoms of TB and COVID-19
Figure: Screening steps for TB - COVID 19 Patients
Almost 38% of TB deaths are associated with the use of tobacco. The prevalence of TB is three times higher among ever-smokers as compared to that of never-smokers. Mortality from TB is three to four times higher among ever-smokers as compared to never-smokers. Smoking contributes to 50% of male deaths in the 25-69 age group from TB in India.
The presence of tuberculosis disease during pregnancy, delivery, and postpartum is known to result in unfavourable outcomes for both pregnant women and their infants. These outcomes include a roughly two-fold increased risk of preterm birth, low birth weight, intrauterine growth restriction, and a six-fold increase in perinatal death.
Screen TB patients in Pregnancy & Lactating Patients
About 10% TB deaths globally have been attributed to alcohol as a risk factor(WHO, Global TB Report 2017). Alcohol abuse is associated with threefold increase in risk of contracting tuberculosis.
Side effects of anti TB drugs in this situation might get aggravated.
Figure: Impact of Alcoholism on TB patients
Malnutrition refers to deficiencies, excesses or imbalances in a person’s intake of energy and/or nutrients. The term malnutrition covers 2 broad groups of conditions.
As a consequence of urbanization as well as social and economic development, there has been a rapidly growing epidemic of Diabetes Mellitus(DM). India has the second largest number of diabetic people in the world.
Screen TB patients for symptoms of diabetes
Figure: Screening steps for TB - Diabetic Patients
Several medical conditions are risk factors for TB and poor TB treatment outcomes. Similarly, TB can complicate the course of some diseases. Therefore, it is important to identify these comorbidities in people diagnosed with TB to ensure early diagnosis and improved outcomes. When these conditions are highly prevalent in the general population, they can significantly contribute to the TB burden. Consequently, reducing the prevalence of these conditions can help prevent TB.
Missed Dose recording in Nikshay:
For recording missed doses in Nikshay, following steps should be followed:
Manual recording of Adherence in Nikshay:
in Nikshay, Adherence can only be recorded only if there is corresponding dispensation being issued to a Patient
Figure: Steps to record manual dose in Nikshay
Recording in Patient Treatment Card:
Figure: Filled Treatment card for TB Patient
99DOTS is a low-cost digital adherence technology built-in Nikshay that uses inexpensive packaging(envelopes or stickers) with medication that enables people taking medication to engage with their treatment daily. This packaging, distributed to TB patients taking medications, has a hidden number behind perforated flaps on the external envelope; in some cases, the number may be fixed outside the medication blister or pill bottle. This number can be a toll-free number that can be called to register daily adherence or a code sent by SMS, USSD, or other communication channels.
