Profile of DOT providers in private sector.

Balambal, R.

Journal of Tuberculosis; 2001; 48; 73-75.

The essential feature of the DOTS (Directly Observed Treatment Course) strategy of the Revised National Tuberculosis Control Programme is provision for DOT providers who can ensure that treatment is taken by each patient under direct observation. Normally, this is made possible by requiring patients to attend the DOT Centre, as and where required, to receive treatment in person. However, a considerable proportion of patients prefer to receive treatment in the private sector, for which it has become crucial to organize a system for appointing DOT providers who can follow the RNTCP guidelines and observe drug consumption by privately treated patients. In Chennai, a non-government organization, ACT, has organized a group of 20 private practitioners who after simple training have set up a system of quality microscopy for diagnosis of tuberculosis and volunteer DOT providers selected by patients/practitioners for delivering drugs to patients under direct observation, mostly in their homes. ACT also provides a trained Supervisor to monitor all the aspects including DOT providers.

The preliminary findings of this study suggest that it is feasible to identify medical practitioners and DOT providers in the private sector who can be simply trained and whose services can be integrated with the governmental DOT centres under the RNTCP.

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