The Indus Hospital Tuberculosis Control Program
Pakistan is one of the top ten high burden countries for susceptible and drug-resistant tuberculosis (TB). The Indus Hospital TB Control Program uses innovative community-based models of care susceptible and drug-resistant (DR-TB) in Sindh and Balochistan provinces. Since its inception in 2007,The Indus Hospital’s program is now recognized as a regional and global resource for TB control, and team members contribute directly to global efforts for scaling-control of DR-TB.
1. Community-Based TB and Drug Resistant TB (DR-TB) Program
The Indus Hospital started a free, comprehensive community-based DOTS (susceptible TB) and drug-resistant (DR-TB) program meeting WHO recommended guidelines in Nov 2007. Our current treatment sites include Karachi, Hyderabad, Kotri (Institute of Chest Diseases ) and Quetta (Fatima Jinnah Chest and General Hospital).
The Ghori Infectious Diseases Clinic located at The Indus Hospital is an open-air facility for purpose-designed for airborne infection control. With over 300 program and clinical staff, The Indus Hospital’s TB Control Program became the second highest TB notification center in the country during 2011.
Our clinical, laboratory and social support teams are devoted to relieving the burden of TB and insuring the highest quality of patient care. Treatment Coordinators in Sindh and Balochistan collectively supervise nearly 200 Treatment Supporters. Treatments Supporters are individuals selected from their communities to ensure patient compliance, and are provided transport and living stipends as incentives for good performance. All program staff is trained and operates in accordance with international and national guidelines for TB control.
The Indus Hospital’s DR-TB Program is unique as it provides patients with free diagnosis, consultation, medication, and addresses as many of their social needs as is possible. Our social support program includes professional patient counseling, household food and nutritional support, monthly travel allowance to treatment centers, screening of household contacts for TB, daily home visits by treatment supporters to monitor drug compliance and to provide ongoing psychological and social support during the 2-year long treatment that averages between USD 9,000 -11,000 per patient.
2. Pediatric TB Program
The Indus Hospital pediatric TB program started in November 2007. The first set of patients enrolled were household pediatric contacts of index patients receiving treatment through the MDR-TB and DOTS program. The program has gradually expanded over the last four years and has become a key referral center for pediatric TB suspects in Sindh and Balochistan.
3. Operational Research In Tuberculosis
With support from the Stop TB Partnership TB REACH initiative, The Indus Hospital aims to increase case detection and case holding of TB patients by providing conditional cash transfer to Community Health Workers screening patients at GP clinics, hospitals out-patient departments, and pharmacies, and by engaging private laboratories in rapid diagnostic of TB.