NACP and NTEP Coordination at National, State and District Levels

There is a well-structured system of National AIDS Control Programme (NACP) and National TB Elimination Programme (NTEP) coordination at the national, state and district levels which includes the following:

1. National Level

• National Technical Working Group (NTWG): At the national level, a technical working group comprising key officials from NACO and Central TB Division (CTD), dealing with TB/HIV collaborative activities and experts from World Health Organisation (WHO), is in place. The purpose of the TWG, which meets at least quarterly, is to review, optimise and plan for future TB/HIV coordination activities.

2. State Level

• State Coordination Committees (SCC): To ensure smooth implementation and regular review of TB/HIV collaborative activities, SCCs chaired by the Principal Health Secretary are established at the state level. These coordination committee meetings are organised by the State AIDS Control Society (SACS) on a biannual basis.
• State Working Group (SWG): At the state level, SWG is composed of key officials from SACS and State TB Cell (State TB Officer, second Medical Officer, if present), along with other officials dealing with TB/HIV collaborative activities and consultants involved in HIV/TB collaborative activities. The SWG is organised by SACS at least once in a quarter to review and streamline the collaborative activities.

3. District Level

• District Coordination Committees (DCCs): To ensure smooth implementation and regular review of TB/HIV collaborative activities, coordination committees are established at the district level. These coordination committees meet on a quarterly basis. DCCs are organised by District AIDS Prevention Control Unit (DAPCU) Nodal Officers or District TB Officers (DTOs) (in districts where there is no DAPCU).
• Monthly meeting at the District level: A monthly meeting of the DTO and the District Nodal Officer (DNO) is held with the participation of key staff from both programmes. Monthly key staff meetings for NTEP are already being conducted at the district level. It is envisaged that during these monthly key staff meetings, additional sessions be organised for TB/HIV which should be attended by the key district staff of NACP. In these monthly meetings, a review of the ongoing TB/HIV collaborative activities and discussion on key issues emerging from the field is done.

4. Annual Review of TB/HIV Collaborative Activities at National and State Level

• NTEP conducts regular programme reviews at the national and state levels. It is planned that at one of these reviews at the national level, an annual review of the TB/HIV collaborative activities is held with the participation of State Programme Managers of both programmes. The annual review is held in close coordination between NACO and CTD. Similar annual reviews are also held at the state level.

5.  Dedicated Positions Sanctioned to Facilitate Coordination and Successful Implementation of TB/HIV Collaborative Activities

• Full-time regular government officer would be in charge of TB/HIV collaborative activities in the programmes at the national and state level in NACP and NTEP
• National consultants for TB/HIV (NACP & NTEP)
• Technical Officers at SACS for basic services (including TB/HIV) are available across the country (1-2 per state)
• State TB/HIV Coordinators
• District level DR-TB HIV Coordinator

Resources

• National Framework for Joint HIV/TB Collaborative Activities, NACO, CTD, MoHFW, GoI, 2009.

Assessment