Advocacy

The State TB Cell has been provided IEC Officer from the National TB Elimination Programme for carrying out and coordinating the IEC activities in the State. The over all responsibility of IEC and publicity would therefore be of the State TB Cell. The STDCs would be required to provide technical inputs to make the ACSM activities more effective and also take certain advocacy activities themselves. The Key role of STDC is described as under: STDCs need to provide technical support to STC for:

• Identification of priority areas for ACSM
• Supporting the state and district to develop annual ACSM plan
• Designing and Development of Advocacy and IEC material in local language including contents for social media
• Verification of technical accuracy of all ACSM materials developed by STC
• Dissemination of information on programme performance and other information through publication of Bulletin / Newsletter every quarter.
• Advocacy with political and administrative officials to increase the commitment and priority to tuberculosis at State and District levels 
• Advocacy with scientific/professional/academic organisations/ institutions for following Standards of TB Care in India
• Preparation of  performance matrix for all TUs and PHI in the district on the basis indicators such as  Case detection, Treatment  adherence, Success Rate and it advocate State and District to intervention for required ACSM activities in the field.
• Design and implement “TB Free Village” Certification as an advocacy initiative
• Sensitisation of Political leaders, Opinion leaders, NGOs, TB Champions, AYUSH, Corporates and other departments

In addition to these, based on state specific TB Elimination strategies, needs identified from field supervision, Nikshay data analysis, and OR results, STDCs needs to advocate with programme officers and policy makers for appropriate resources, administrative and political support.