Study of cross referrals between ICTC & RNTCP centres in GSVM Medical College Kanpur
Background: India has over 1.982 million incident TB cases per year and world9s 3rd highest HIV burden. The estimated PLWHA is 0.34% (2.38 million) of Indian population. TB-HIV coordination activities are being implemented since 2001. Objectives: To study overall efficiency of cross referral between DMC cum DOTS centre and ICTC. Methods: All patients registered at our DMC for DOTS between 1st July 2009 to 31st July 2010 (13 months) were referred to Integrated Counseling and Testing Centre. During the same period ICTC was asked to refer all TB suspects to our DMC. Before this period no effective cross referral strategy was in vogue in our medical college DMC and ICTC. Results: During the study period, our DMC cum DOTS centre registered 1287 TB cases (664 were bacillary). They were advised to get tested at ICTC where only 1063 reached. 54 of them were HIV positive. During same period 8683 clients were registered at ICTC Centre. Out of these 424 (123 HIV positive, 301 HIV negative) were TB suspects and referred to our DMC cum DOTS centre. Out of these only 287 (121 HIV positive, 166 HIV negative) reached at our DMC cum DOTS Centre. Among 121 HIV positive there were 81 had tuberculosis of which 31 were bacillary. Among 166 HIV-negative patients 49 had tuberculosis out of which 15 were smear positive. The detailed analysis will be presented in conference. Conclusions: RNTCP and ICTC Cross referral was found highly useful strategy.