Medical colleges' involvement in the RNTCP: current status

To widen access and improving the quality of TB services, involvement of medical colleges and their hospitals is paramount. The role of medical college professors in TB control as opinion leaders and role models for practising physician and as teachers imparting knowledge and skills and shaping the attitude of medical students cannot be underestimated. There is a pressing need for all medical schools to advocate DOTS and through this strategy provide the best opportunity for cure of patients. Priority activities to be undertaken by medical colleges are: (1) Training and teaching of RNTCP. (2) Service delivery of the RNTCP. (3) Advocacy of the RNTCP. (4) Operational research. A National Tast Force is being constituted comprising representatives from the zonal nodal centers, Central TB Institutes, and Central TB Division. With the establishment of zonal nodal centres and task forces at the different levels, it is envisaged that the movement will gain further momentum.