A Union led pilot project in India - which uses web-based software to provide real time case reporting and treatment adherence support to TB patients treated in the private sector - has reported that 95 percent of patients under the project are adhering to treatment.
The unique software automatically notifies tuberculosis (TB) cases to the Revised National Tuberculosis Control Programme (RNTCP) and sends patients daily text messages and twice-weekly interactive voice response calls (IVRC) reminding them to take their medication and schedule follow-up visits and tests.
90 percent of those taking part found the text messages and IVRC reminders useful and would like to continue receiving them.
The project is implemented in collaboration with Apollo Hospitals, one of the largest corporate hospital chains in India, and with support from the Lilly MDR-TB Partnership. The software was tested at Apollo Hospital in Hyderabad, where 200 patients were initiated on TB treatment during the trial period. All 200 of those patients were reported to the RNTCP notification portal, Nikshay.
In India, nearly 50% of TB patients rely on the private sector for treatment, which leads to incomplete data reporting at the government level, and a higher incidence of incomplete treatment, due to a lack in follow-up procedures. The pilot software aims to combat these issues, and initial results from the test period of June 2015-March 2016 show that this is an efficient and cost effective model to facilitate notification and treatment adherence of TB patients in the private sector hospital setting.
The software is open-source and can be easily adapted to integrate into other hospitals’ management information systems. In addition, the total cost of the daily text messages and voice calls for a period of six months (the standard duration of TB treatment) is 120 Indian Rupees, or just under US$ 2 per patient.
Following the success of the pilot phase, The Union and partners plan to scale up this intervention and extend it to other private hospitals across India.
The results of this collaboration were announced at a press conference at Apollo Hospital Hyderabad on 31 March 2016 by Dr Sarabjit Chadha, Project Director of The Union’s Project Axshya.