Monitoring of TB patients during treatment
Monitoring is the regular observation and recording of activities and results taking place in a programme.
In the first part of this study session you will learn how to follow patients throughout the course of anti-TB treatment by checking the results of sputum examinations and hence monitor their clinical response to treatment. For patients who interrupt their medication, we will also talk about possible reasons for them doing so and how such problems can be resolved.
Like any medical activity, TB programmes need continuous monitoring. To achieve this, patients need to be followed very strictly and the outcome of treatment needs to be clearly defined. As a health worker, your role is very important in ensuring patients are taking their drugs properly. This is called adherence to treatment. Part of your responsibility is to tell your patients very clearly not to interrupt their treatment and to look for side-effects of drugs of the type described in Study Session 14 and to seek help accordingly.