Community-based TB control

It is useful at this point to remind you of a range of TB control measures that are important at the level of the community. Importantly, these are the community-based TB control measures that need to be coordinated and delivered by you as the health worker and include the following:

• Create community awareness about TB transmission, the treatment of TB and the prevention methods used to stop the spread of the disease
• Identify and refer TB suspects in the community as early as possible
• Provide BCG vaccine to children at birth
• Refer TB patients for sputum examination or arrange for sputum collection
• Monitor adherence to prescribed anti-TB drugs during the intensive and the continuation phases of treatment
• Keep records on what you are doing for TB control
• Trace patients who miss doses or default on medication and ensure medication is resumed

• Give support for patients throughout the course of treatment
• Ensure TB/HIV co-infection patients benefit from both programmes; advise TB patients to be screened for HIV and HIV-positive patients to be screened for TB
• Coordinate TB control activities of volunteers/model families in their kebeles and report their monthly activities.