Patient Provider Support Agency [PPSA]: A Multipronged Approach to Engage the Private Sector

To achieve universal Tuberculosis (TB) care for all notified TB patients, the National TB Elimination Program (NTEP) has initiated the Patient Provider Support Agency (PPSA) initiative.

PPSA is a model under which a third-party agency/non-governmental organization is selected by a state/ city/district NTEP unit to engage private-sector doctors treating patients of TB and provide end-to-end services, such as diagnosis, notification, patient adherence and support, and treatment linkages. 

The third-party agency is selected as per the contracting procedures laid down by the respective State National Health Missions (NHM).

PPSA follows a multipronged approach to engage private providers engaged in TB care to patients that includes:

1. Mapping private-sector providers (formal and informal), laboratories and chemists
2. Increasing engagement of private-sector providers through in-clinic visits and continuing medical education (CME)
3. Linking NTEP-provided diagnostic services (sputum microscopy, X-ray, cartridge-based nucleic acid amplification test, sputum collection and transport) and fixed drug combinations (FDCs)
4. Facilitating and updating TB notification and other relevant information in Nikshay
5. Facilitating incentives given by NTEP to the private-sector doctors and patients
6. Counseling the patients to ensure treatment adherence
7. Facilitating linkages for drug resistant-TB treatment and HIV services, as required.

Resources

• Patient Provider Support Agency: A Toolkit to Implement Patient Provider Support Agency in Your Region, PATH.

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