World TB Day Celebrations Organised in Tamil Nadu, India

An action plan meeting on TB Week / World TB Day was held on 06.03.2003 in the District Collector’s (The head of the District Administration) chambers. The members of the Governing Council of the District TB Control Society Erode District, Office bearers of the Indian Medical Association Erode Branch, Non-Governmental Organizations participating in the RNTCP like the Holy Cross Hospital Kothamangalam and the Assisi Hospital Talavadi,, District Rural Development Agency, District Social Welfare Officer, District Public Relations Officer, Personal Assistant to The District Collector (Programme Development), Chief Education Officer, Vice-Principal and Professor of Social and Preventive Medicine and the Professor of Medicine from a near by Medical College, the Superintendent of the Ramalingam Tuberculosis Sanatorium attended the meeting. Resolutions were passed to conduct functions at TB Unit level over the period of one week followed by a District level function on World TB Day (18.03.2003 – 22.03.2003). The highlight of each function would be “Talk by Cured TB Patient”.

 
District level functions  conducted

Date: 23.03.2003, 6.00 PM, IMA Hall, Erode

Sponsor: Indian Medical Association, Erode branch

              Local Minister of Hindu Religious & Endowment Ministry will distribute awards of appreciation to 20 Private Doctors for their participation in RNTCP DOTS. 2 Govt. Doctors / 2 paramedical will be awarded Best Performance award for their committed services in TB control. A Hand bill on the key facts of TB for local public and for Non Governmental Organizations will be released by the Honorable Minister.

 
Date: 24.03.2003(will be conducted)

            On 24.03.2003 Human chain is organized will be inaugurated by District Collector followed by a meeting in TB Hall, District TB Centre.

 Sponsor: Lions Clubs of Erode

 Participants: NGOs, female Self Help Groups, Doctors / Paramedical

Details of TB Unit level functions conducted

18.03.2003

            Thindal Primary Health Centre, Erode TB Unit TB Week / World TB Day celebrated.

              Vasanthi a cured TB patient talked about the benefits of RNTCP DOTS,

            Folk songs organized by Health workers, large gathering NGOs, female Self Help Group and Govt. / Private officials attended the function.

19.03.2003

 Athani Primary Health Centre, Athani TB Unit TB Week celebrated.

 Highlight::

            Interview session conducted with a group of Cured TB patients.

20.03.2003

            Vellakovil Primary Health Centre, Vellakovil TB Unit

            DOTS awareness function organized, Cured TB patients talked the benefits of RNTCP DOTS.

21.03.2003

            Chennimalai Primary Health Centre, Chennimalai TB Unit

              300 female Self Help Groups participated. Three cured TB patients talked about the benefits of DOTS.

            A post evaluation session conducted by circulating multiple choice questions to the participants questioning about the important information on Tuberculosis. 90% of the female Self Help Groups (SHG) answered well.

22.03.2003

              A spectacular function conducted at Sathyamangalam Rotary hall, P.Puliampatti TB Unit.

            The Project Officer, District Rural Development Agency presided the function. The Bannariamman Rural Foundation as NGO sponsored the function. Various Club members like Jaycees, Apex clubs, Rotary clubs, Office bearers of that area along with local public and TB patients participated.

            The Bannari Rural Foundation Hospital is identified as DOT Treatment Centre and inaugurated on that day to function as DOT clinic. Here also Cured TB patients talked the advantages of RNTCP DOTS.

            In all these TB Week celebrations lot of Panchayat leaders, Community Volunteers, School Teachers, local Public and Govt. Officials of various capacities participated.

            Most of these functions are sponsored by Voluntary Agencies. The theme for the World TB Day 2003 “People with TB” and the slogan “DOTS* cured me – it will cure you too!” is emphasized in all these functions.

            Apart from all these functions intensive IEC activities were carried out

 a)     TB awareness Drive for Tribals – Conducted on 22.02.2003, Tribals of female Self Help Groups were attended. They have taken Oath to be DOT provider.

b)     TB Awareness Camp for Students – conducted on 28.02.2003 at Kongu Arts & Science College, Nanjanapuram, Perundurai, Erode District. 300 National Social Service (NSS) students participated. They promised to become DOT providers.

 c)      A meeting with female Self Help Groups – conducted on 01.03.2003 at Elavamalai Panchayat. Local Panchayat leaders and 100 female Self Help Group attended the meeting.

 d)     District Collector visited the DOT centre at a sub centre of Primary Health Centre Thindal and he administered DOTS to a TB patient.

Tuberculosis Awareness: A Handbook:

              A spectacular handbook on TB Awareness has been published by District TB Control Society which highlights all the information about TB control in Erode District. It has published recently to commemorate the recent visit of Honorable Chief Minister of Tamilnadu on 12.02.2003. This book can be used as table reference by TB patient / Doctors to utilize the services offered at Govt. Health facilities in TB control (available as pdf file, will be sent later).

Greeting Card on World TB Day 2003:

 We have designed a Greeting card, posted to all Private Practitioners of Erode District. 1000 cards were printed, sponsored by “Sakthi Masala”. The cover of the card has a tri colour flag – Red, Blue, Green indicating the colour of Cat I, II, II Patient Wise Boxes of DOTS regimen. The centre of the flag has a circle with poor TB patient.

 Caption in the card:              

 “Everybody can’t afford Anti TB drugs but all ca access DOTS”.

 “Refer TB patients and Save India”

 Inside leaf has message with appeal to Private Practitioner to join hands with District TB Control Society to bring hope to TB patients, duly signed by District Collector and District TB Officer, Erode.

 This card will reach the hand of all Private Doctors on 24.03.2003.

 Scanned copy of the Greeting card will be sent by an another mail.

Concept & Design of the Card by

              Dr.J.Arivoli and Dr.A.Rajasekaran, District TB Officer of Coimbatore / Erode, Tamilnadu, India.

 We have a year round plan to make DOTS a reality.

 There are about 70,000 female Self Help Group in the District. The objective is to involve as much female Self Help Group volunteers to become DOT provider as possible. The District Rural Development Agency, Project Officer is offering the best co-ordination in this regard.

 All these efforts are possible with the able leadership of District Collector Thiru Ka.Balachandran, IAS. Chairman of the District TB Control Society, Erode.

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