Table 5 Shift in systemic intervention for urban TB control in developing countries
From: Resurrecting social infrastructure as a determinant of urban tuberculosis control in Delhi, India
Thrust areas | Work plan |
|---|---|
Strengthen social capital | • Adopt community intervention strategies which support development of social infrastructure |
• Create opportunities to encourage people’s participation in decision-making and community activities | |
• Collaborate with elected representatives and community self-help groups for the public health responsibility of their community | |
Collaborate with existing service providers | • Liaison with the Ministry of Urban Development for Urban Self Employment program, Urban Women Self Help programs. Availability of night shelters for the shelterless population |
• Work with the Department of Education to advocate TB in school health programs and youth awareness clubs | |
• Facilitate provision of social protection through available National Health Insurance schemes for below poverty line families and senior citizens. Development of a sustainable program for daily wagers with the Department of Labour | |
• Coordinate with the Food and Supplies Department for access to subsidized public distribution system | |
• Link with mother and child health services and support networks | |
• Establish innovative schemes in public-private partnership | |
• Reduce out-of-pocket expenses incurred by people on transport and wage loss by linking with available Social Welfare programs, especially for commuters from satellite towns bordering the city | |
• Explore the utilization of existing physical infrastructure for community services | |
• Seek opportunities to participate in city development plans and in planning for improvement of medical infrastructure in secondary/tertiary institutes | |
|  | • Liaison with the Department of Information and Technology to improve access to digital technology |
• Share best practices with other public health programs to reach out to the vulnerable and marginalized groups in the city | |
Stress on affirmative inclusion in TB program | • ‘Search TB’ in vulnerable and high risk groups among city dwellers |
• Mandatory TB notification by all sectors | |
• Support incorporation of basic socio-economic data of patients in TB program surveillance records | |
• Develop social inclusion as a separate standard in the International Standards of TB care | |
• Incorporate available social welfare schemes in Patient Charter for TB care |