Role of National Institutes in STDCs

The central institutions viz., National Tuberculosis Institute (Bangalore), ICMR-National Institute for Research in Tuberculosis(Chennai) and National institute of TB and Respiratory Diseases (NITRD, Delhi), have a significant role in supporting the STDCs in the states. The National Institutions (NIs) will function as nodal agencies for supporting the STDCs.The action plan and training calendar with timelines will be prepared by the STDCs annually and submitted to Central TB Division (CTD) and to respective National Institutes for review. The National Institutes will assess the timely progress of the submitted plans as per the following division:

National Tuberculosis Institute (Bangalore)- States in Western and Central region (Madhya Pradesh, Maharashtra, Bihar, Jharkhand, Chhattisgarh) and Southern (Karnataka, Odisha). Any State/ Geography not covered under these, will be managed by NTI, Bangalore.

National institute of TB and respiratory Diseases (Delhi)-Northern States (Delhi, Punjab, Rajasthan, Uttar Pradesh, Haryana, Himachal Pradesh, Jammu and Kashmir, Uttarakhand) and NE States.

ICMR-National Institute for Research in Tuberculosis, Chennai- Gujarat, Tamil Nadu, Kerala, Telangana, Andhra Pradesh, Puducherryand West Bengal. These institutes will continue to provide technical assistance and support throughout.In addition, they will render their support to ensure the sustenance of following activities in the STDCs:

  1. Capacity Building of the STDCs: The National Institutes to support the STDCs in:-                       
  • Training of trainers: Training of program managers including STDC Directors,State level training facilitators, Epidemiologists, statisticians from STDCs will be conducted at National Institutes to facilitate State led program reviews and informed decision making. Identification of pool of State Level Master trainers among the program managers will be done as part of capacity building of the state.          
  • Training of “Training coordinators at STDC”: Supporting formulation of annual training plan at State and updating it quarterly based upon actual need, facilitating STDCs to conduct cascade mode of trainings and monitoring of training at State and coordinating with State Institute at NHM for further integration.                                                                                                                                 
  • Workshop for training on Ni-kshay for data analysis and interpretation, for identifying gaps &providing required information for improving program performance.
  • Program surveillance, monitoring and evaluation Trainings/ workshops will be done at NIs
  • Research methodology trainings/ workshops will be done at NIs will be conducted for STDC epidemiologists, state OR chairpersons and others involved in processing and approving the state level OR/IR proposals.
  • State strategic plan for TB elimination workshops will be conducted at NIs and updated trainings to sustain efforts at States with achieved TB elimination.
  • Hands –on training for existing laboratory methods and newer diagnostics will be conducted at Nis. Training of Microbiologists for infrastructure required in laboratories.

2.External Quality Assurance (EQA) through NRLs

  •  On site evaluation visit at least once a year to designated IRLs to supervise and Conduct panel testing of slide, EQA of molecular tests CBNAAT/TRUENAT, LPA, and Culture DST etc.
  •  Training lab technicians for EQA protocol and other modalities
  •  Sensitization of STDC Directors and Microbiologists on revised EQA and other Processes
  •  EQA trainings for CBNAAT/TRUENAT, LPA, etc. will be done at the NIs.
  • Program monitoring and evaluation Trainings/ workshops will be done at NIs.
  1. Monitoring of STDC performance: National institutes will monitor the performance of STDCs against the guidelines and annual plan.  National institutes will review the training calendars and monitor the trainings happenning at states through TMIS. 
  2. Supportive Supervision of STDCs: National institutes will conduct periodical supervisory and monitoring visits to the STDCs so as to cover all the STDCs in an year.
  3. Operational research support: National institutes will build the capacity of the STDCs in conducting OR and mentor them in OR as and when needed.
  4. Establishment of new STDCs: National Institutes will support development of new or satellite STDCs at larger States in need. They will provide technical guidance and training for strengthening of STDCs in supporting State TB cell.