SAMPARK – A MOVEMENT FOR END TB STRATEGY IN PROJECT GURUKUL

Background: Tuberculosis prevention in the workplace has been strategy to prevent community at a larger scale. As per the norms set by the Government of India, the workplace should be TB Free so as to protect the larger staff and their families. BCTA has been an proactive organization to ensure Workplace Free TB in the office, schools, community and the versatile projects related to the organization to prevent its staff and the families from the Tuberculosis.

Similar campaign was planned for the Project Gurukul children and their families comprising a population of 5,000 in the remote slums and crowded areas in 8 pockets of Jehangirpuri area in the first week of February 2023. Our Gurukul Instructors were engaged in identifying chest symptomatic in the children and their families by conducting household visits in 271 families of the 8 chapters of Gurukul with a population coverage of 1492 (Male 654 and Female738). These children were sensitized in their classes for the TB prevention and the Team observed immense satisfaction in their family members when we discussed the issues of Tuberculosis Prevention with their family members.

Objectives: The World TB Day 2023 motive had been “Yes! We Can End TB”. As part of monthwise TB prevention campaign we planned sensitization of TB Free Project Gurukul and initiated Sampark Movement in eight Gurukul Chapters (out of 20 chapters) with the following motives:

• Identification of chest symptomatic in the Gurukul Children’s family members;
• Facilitation of check-up of the chest symptomatic in the nearby Chest Clinics and make the family/peers aware about the status of TB;
• Ensure regular treatment of the TB positive individuals and regular counseling of the affected family to prevent them from the Tuberculosis;

Methodology: The Gurukul Instructors orientation program was organized to conduct this activity at the BCTA office on 21st January 2023. “Sampark” was planned for eight Gurukul Chapters in the Jehagirpuri area and the modalities were shared with the Group. All were requested to start this activity in their respective Gurukul Student’s family members. The family visit and identification of Chest Symptomatic (including diagnosis and starting treatment of TB positive cases) was planned from 1-7 February 2023 in (Jehagirpuri 3 chapters, Buradi, Milan Vihar, Bhalaswa 2 chapters, Katia Baba and IP Colony – total eight chapters). The Gurukul Instructors will be reimbursed ten rupees per household visit for this activity. The Supervisor and the Project Coordinator were advised to coordinate this activity. It was planned to have TB Free Gurukul by World TB Day 2023.

Clinical follow up of the Chest Symptomatic: There were sixteen chest symptomatic in Divya Chapter and one deaths was reported among the target population visited during this campaign. While reviewing it was observed that:

• In Jehangirpuri J Block, out of 27 household visited during the Sampark Campaign, Doli F-11 years was a TB patient who have completed her course. The family was advised to get her final check up so that she can be observed Cured TB patient.
• In Divya Chapter, Jasim, M-58 years died of TB. He was a cancer patient in addition to the TB. His entire family (8 Members) were diagnosed for the TB and were found sputum negative. Another 8 chest symptomatic were found TB negative in the Chapter.
• There was no chest symptomatic found in rest of six chapters. We have cross validated the findings by the group discussion in the community.

Similar approach has been found with the other 12 chapters for ensuring TB Free Gurukul. The Gurukul Instructors engaged in this assignment were trained Volunteers from the State Training and Demonstration Centre (STDC), Government of New Delhi in March 2022 and their refresher orientation has been organized on regular intervals.