India'suffers'more'Tuberculosis'(TB)'cases'than'any'other'country'in'the'world.'The'1.9'million'incident' cases'in'2009'represented'one'fifth'of'the'global'burden.'In'India,'50"80%'of'TB'patients'seek'care'in'the' private' sector.' It' has' been' internationally' recognized' that' public"private' partnerships' (PPP)' are' now' necessary'for'TB'control'in'several'high'prevalence'countries.''
The'private'sector'comprises'of'all'providers'who'operate'outside'the'public'sector'and'whose'aim'is'to' treat' illness' or' prevent' disease.' The' retail' pharmacies' fall' in' private' sector.' ' ' Although' in' recent' years' some'innovative'initiatives'have'been'emerging,'the'concept'of'involving'Pharmacists'is'relatively'new' and'the'enormous'potential'of'this'resource'remains'largely'untapped'in'India.'Therefore,'it'is'necessary' to' look' for' such' initiatives' taken' by' Pharmacists' in' the' vast' nook' and' corners' of' India' and' document' these.' There' are' more' than' 700,000' registered' Pharmacists' practicing' in' the' country.' These'
Pharmacists'can'be'made'stakeholders'in'TB'control.'
The'International'Pharmaceutical'Federation'(FIP)''established'a'Joint'Statement'with'the'World'Health' Organization' (WHO)' on' the' role' of' pharmacist' in' TB' Care' and' Control' at' the' World' Congress' at' Hyderabad' in' 2011.' This' joint' document' has' drawn' up' a' set' of' Guiding' Principles' for' National' Tuberculosis'Programs'(NTPs)'and'National'Pharmacy'Associations'(NPAs)'on'the'approaches'in'the'fight' against'TB'and'MDR"TB.'At'the'same'World'Congress,'the'FIP'round'table'was'conducted'for'engaging' the' pharmaceutical' sector' in' TB' control' in' India.' The' Round' Table' made' recommendations' on' each' of' the'seven'collaborative'actions'mentioned'in'the'Joint'Statement..''
The'FIP'Challenge'on'TB'Round'1'project'was'set'up'to'find'inter#alia#prevailing'practices'and'prepare'a'
Reference' Document' on' Pharmacists’' innovative' approaches' to' target' early' Detection,' delivery' of' DOTS,' rational' use,' Public' Education' in' TB' Care' and' Control' in' India.' The' scope' of' the' Reference' Document' was' to' establish' an' evidence' base' for' pharmacist’s' interventions' and' specific' roles' in'
delivering'safe,'quality'and'cost"effective'care'for'TB'patients.'The'Reference'Document''collected'case' studies' on' outcomes' and' processes' on' TB' Care' and' Control' activities' in' community' &' Hospital' pharmacy,' and' industry' &' other' practice' settings,' so' as' to' promote' harmonization,' alignment' and' effective' collaboration' of' Pharmacists’' involvement' in' TB' care' at' state' and' national' levels.' The' FIP' Challenge'on'TB'Round'1'project'showed'that'Pharmacists'involvement'in'India'in'prevention'and'care'' is' still' at' a' nascent' stage.' However,' it' very' clearly' brought' out' that' there' is' an' immense' potential' for'
Pharmacists'in'India'to'participate'in'the'Revised'National'Tuberculosis'Program'and'contribute'to'the' different'areas'of'the'intervention.' The'major'outcome'of'the'project'was'realized'when'a'Memorandum'of'Understanding'(MoU)'between' the'Revised'National'Tuberculosis'Control'Programme'(RNTCP)''and''relevant''stakeholders'viz.'IPA,'All' India'Organization'of'Chemists'and'Druggists'(AIOCD)','Pharmacy'Council'of'India'(PCI)'and'SEARPharm' Forum'on'the'role'of'Pharmacists'in'TB'Care'and'Control'in'India.'The'memorandum'of'understanding' has'outlined' Pharmacists' role'in'national'TB'Care' and'Control' thus'paving' the'way'for' Pharmacists'in' India'to'be'involved'in'the'National'Health'Programme'for'the'first'time.'
Keywords:' Pharmacists,% Reference% Document,%DOTS,%Detection,%Public%Education,%Working%Group,%TB% Care% and% Control,% Hospital,% Public% Education,% Adherence,% PPM,% MoU,% Stepwise% Approach
REPORT: FIP CHALLENGE ON TB ROUND-1 SEARPharm Forum "The IPA has worked towards pharmacist becoming DOTS providers. Still there is lot of work to do to get more pharmacist to become DOTS providers in the entire country. The Pharmacist have to take an active part by their knowledge information to provide value added services in providing necessary assistance from the diagnostic and treatment services. A suggestion that sputum collection provision can be made at pharmacist level is quite laudable and help sending the same for further examination and thus help RNTCP. "
Dr. C. G. K. Murty, President, Indian Pharmaceutical Association
"It was necessary to define the role of pharmacists in different public health programs including TB. In defining the competencies that are required pharmacists have to be made more aware about the disease profile so that they can play an effective role in public health. The prescribers and the dispensers should work in team to be able to bring this change. A large number of changes are envisaged in the pharmacy education regulation 2011 which will also include knowledge on the public health. Pharmacists are also shy to carry up patient counseling due to lack of knowledge and physicians do not have time for counseling. PCI is working so that the image of community pharmacists can be transformed from mere dispensers of medicines to an effective patient counselor."
Prof. B. Suresh, President, Pharmacy Council of India curriculum reform is implemented today the human resource will be utilized especially for elderly population in the next decade."
Teera Chakajnarodom, President, SEARPharm Forum
"The partnership will be new beginning in terms of involving pharmacists as DOTS provider and sputum collector as well as for monitoring of treatment. RNTCP will provide small incentive to the pharmacists after successful completion of DOTS therapy for each patient."
2' ' 2.'ACKNOWLEDGEMENT' This'Reference'Document'was'developed'in'2012'by'India'Working'Group'on'Pharmacists’'innovative' approaches'to'target'early'Detection,'delivery'of'DOTS,'rational'use,'Public'Education'in'TB'Care'and' Control'in'India.' The'Working'Group'members'were' 1. Prafull'D.'Sheth'(FIP)'' 2. Teera'Chakajnarodom'(SEARPharm'Forum)' 3. C.'G.'K.'Murty'(IPA)' 4. Raj'Vaidya'(IPA)' 5. Manjiri'Gharat'(IPA)' 6. Pradeep'Mishra'(SEARPharm'Forum)' ' 7. Mohammad'Ahmed'Khan'(SEARPharm'Forum)' 8. Alok'Ghosh'(Lupin'Labs)' 9. Kapil'M.'Khambolja'(Novartis)' 10. M.'Mitra'(Former'Deputy'Drug'Controller,'India)' 11. N.'K.'Gurbani'(IIHMR)' 12. E.'R.'Babu'(The'Union)' 13. R.'N.'Gupta'(IPA)' 14. Satish'Kaipilyawar'(PATH)' 15. Subhash'Mandal'(IPA)' 16. Shibu'Vijayan'(RNTCP)'' 17. Deepesh'Reddy'(WHO"CO)' This'document'benefitted'from'the'review'of'the'following'members:' 1. Nigorsulton'Muzafarova'(WHO"SEARO)' 2. R.'Parmeshwar'(DSPRUD)' 3. Sunita'Prasad'(Lilly"MDR)'' 4. Aditi'Nigam'(CDDEP)' 5. Pramil'Tiwari'(NIPER)' 6. C.'J.'Shishoo'(PERD)' 7. G.'P.'Mohanta'(Annamalai'University)' SEARPharm'Forum'thanks'all'the'contributors'for'sharing'their'expertise'and'for'helping'to'develop'this' Reference'Document.'' SEARPharm'Forum'profusely'thanks''Xuan'Hao'(FIP)'and'Ying'Chan'(FIP)'for'their'guidance'and' encouragement'to'the'national'Working'Group.'' This'work'was'made'possible'with'the'funding'support'of'FIP.'
3' '