Economic and Health Status of TB Patients covered under TB Programme

Chronic disease such as tuberculosis (TB) is a major public health problem worldwide. The impact of TB on overall health status and socio economic well being is extensive. Generally TB afflicts the most economically active segment of the population. The world has taken a fresh look at TB in the year 2000. TB holds the spotlight as a social, political and economic issue rather than just a health problem. Despite the existence of a National Tuberculosis Programme (NTP) for four decades, the burden of TB in India is enormous. Since late 1998, India began rapid expansion of the World Health Organization recommended strategy, directly observed treatment, short-course (DOTS) and the present coverage is 100% of the population.1 Even though the programme provides free diagnostic and treatment services to all the patients registered, since tuberculosis affects the most productive age group, the resultant economic cost for society is high.