Distribution of Second-line Drugs from the District Drug Store to the TB Unit Store

The National TB Elimination Programme (NTEP) follows a standard procedure to distribute drugs to the Tuberculosis Units (TUs) in which the key role is played by District Drug Store (DDS) pharmacist. 

For distribution of the drugs to the TUs, National Health Mission (NHM)/ NTEP allows for the hiring of the vehicle or utilizing the available vehicle.

• The District TB Centre (DTC) distributes the patient-wise boxes to its implementing TU quarterly and monitors them through the TU quarterly Second-line Drug (SLD) requirement report.
• The distribution of the SLDs is based on quarterly reports of drug consumption submitted by each TB unit through the Nikshay Aushadi portal. 
• It is essential that the Senior Treatment Supervisor (STS) and Senior Tuberculosis Laboratory Supervisor (STLS) monitor data entry from the peripheral units and analyze the consumption pattern to understand the actual requirements of drugs.
• TU drug stock entries also need to be updated by the NTEP staff on a regular basis to avoid drug expiry or overstocking/ stockouts.
• Buffer stock equivalent to two months is kept at each TU and is closely monitored to prevent stock-out and expiry of the drugs. 
• In case short expiry drugs are received and cannot be consumed, the STS can return the drugs while informing the Medical Officer Tuberculosis Control (MO-TC) and District TB Officer (DTO) and it can be utilized elsewhere.
• While issuing drugs from the DDS to the TU drug store, the First-expiry-first-out (FEFO) principle should be followed. 

At the TU, the drugs are received by the assigned Pharmacist and/or NTEP staff and all records of drug distribution and receiving are updated in hardcopy as well as the Nikshay Aushadi portal. 

Resources

• Guidelines for Programmatic Management of Drug-resistant Tuberculosis in India, March 2021.

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