DS-TB Treatment – Patient Flow

Community Health Volunteers(CHVs) have to refer the presumptive cases identified based on the r symptom screening to the nearest NTEP health facility for further investigation. Once Diagnosed with TB, the TB patients are initiated on the first-line TB treatment. Patients are also offered NAAT within a maximum of 15 days to rule out any drug resistance. If no drug resistance is detected, then the patient continues on the first-line TB treatment. TB patients are then clinically evaluated every month to check the progress of TB treatment. 

The treatment duration of TB is divided into two phases - The Intensive Phase(IP) and the Continuation Phase(CP). Post-treatment completion, patients are then evaluated at intervals of 6,12,18 and 24 Months to ensure a relapse-free TB cure for the patient.

Figure: DSTB Treatment Flow