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NATIONAL TUBERCULOSIS INSTITUTE INTRODUCTION National Tuberculosis Institute (NTI), Bangalore is
an organisation under the Directorate General of Health Services, Ministry of
Health and Family Welfare, established in 1959 in close collaboration with the World
Health Organization (WHO) and UNICEF. This is a premier Institute in the field
of Tuberculosis control in South East Asia, which caters to the human resource
needs for TB control in the region. Since 1985, the Institute has been
functioning as a WHO Collaborative Centre for Training and Research. The Institute
is also involved in carrying out Operational Research on various components of
TB Control, mainly carried out by the Epidemiology and Control Sections. The
Bacteriological Wing of the Institute has been recognised as a National
Reference Laboratory for External Quality Assessment in the TB Control
activity. It also assists in establishing Intermediate Reference Laboratory for
Culture and Drug Sensitivity tests, across the country. The Institute has also been identified as the nodal
centre for operational research related to RNTCP. The major activities as a
nodal centre is to organise workshops, prepare the research agenda and
dissemination of research data through publications. Recently the Institute has been re-organised with formation of Divisions
/Units the details are given below:
Some of the important activities carried out by Divisions/Units is given below: HRD and
Documentation Division The Institute has pioneered in the field of Human
Resources Development. It is involved in conducting the following training
programmes to the TB Programme Managers positioned at different parts of the
country.
1.
RNTCP &
TB-HIV Modular training Programme are conducted at NTI where STDCs, STOs, DTOs,
MO-TCs and faculty of Medical Colleges participated.
2.
Managing
Information for Action (MIFA) Training .
3.
Training in
Preventive maintenance and minor repairs of Binocular Microscopes.
4.
EPI Centre
Training Workshop.
5.
Workshop
for Microbiologist for updating training material guidelines for National
Reference Laboratories.
6.
SAARC
Regional Training of Microbiologist on Culture & DST of MTB.
7.
TB Operational
Research Workshop.
8.
PCR based
LPA Training.
9.
Orientation programme of one day duration were
organized for about 1181 undergraduate Medical, Microbiology and Nursing and
Pharmacy students sponsored by different Institute across the country.
10.
External
Quality Assessment (EQA) has been given importance under RNTCP in the recent
years. Training on the procedures of EQA was imparted to the Laboratory
personnel of different parts of the country. Training in Culture & DST /
Smear Microscopy are imparted to Microbiologists/Lab
technicians. 11. Publication Activities: The faculty of
the Institute publish research papers in the leading journals on TB. Make Presentations
and Poster sessions on the basis of the research studies conducted by the
institute in the National Conference on TB and Chest Disease. The
in-house publications of NTI Bulletin are undertaken. 12. As a large number of people are trained
at various levels, however the details of the people trained are not available.
Therefore, it is proposed to have a TB trained Manpower data base of the
country at NTI Laboratory Division
1.
Operationalise
the EQA for sputum smear microscopy network in the states in conjunction with
/STDCs or IRLSs. Carry out NRL responsibilities of EQA such as Onsite
Evaluation (OSE). Panel testing (proficiency testing of lab staff) to ten
states at least once in a year for 3-4 days (including one to two districts visits),
and make visits as and when required depending on the priorities /necessity to
improve and help the performance of labs. Eight. Prepared slides are used for
panel testing during the visits.
2.
Conducting
quality improvement workshops for the state level programme managers with a
view to find solutions to EQA related operational and technical problems faced
in the field.
3.
To
implement and verify Random Blinded Rechecking (RBRC) producers and improve the
performance of labs based on analysis of the RBRC data in conjunction with
STDCs.
4.
Capacity
building and strengthening the ten state level TB laboratories (STDCs) with
respect to proficiency in culture and Drug Susceptibly Testing including second
line drugs.
5.
Conducting
Anti-TB Drug résistance surveillances of priority states involving processing
of representative sample of the states to obtain information of prevalence of
drug resistance, with a view to support logistics of DOTS – Plus programme
under expansion of DOTS and RNTCP and conduct/participate in National Level
disease prevalence studies/surveys.
6.
The Lab
team of the Institute carryout on site evaluation of STDC laboratories of
different states and provides necessary guidelines to establish quality
laboratory to undertake EQA and DRS studies.
7.
Carry
out Lab based research studies using modern diagnostic techniques and tools
viz., Gene expert, Genetic Analyzer, HPLC for NTMs,
LPA and MGIT 960 Upgradation of Infrastructure
On a proposal submitted by FIND on behalf of UNIT
AID the Govt. of India decided to establish an International Centre for
Excellence in Laboratory Training (ICELT) at the National Tuberculosis
Institute, Bangalore with the following Vision and Mission. Vision: Establish a state of the art teaching and training facility for
imparting quality laboratory practices for tuberculosis and other opportunistic
infections and promote a healthier India and Asia. Mission: To support the scaling up of laboratory
capacity building in India and Asia by providing hands-on training courses in
the diagnosis and monitoring of major infectious diseases such as TB, HIV/AIDS
and Malaria. International Centre for Excellence in
Laboratory Training (ICELT) will provide Training to the personnel who are
working in about 43 Culture Laboratories in different parts of the Country in
Newer Diagnostic Tools for Diagnosing TB & Drug resistant TB. The ICELT was
inaugurated on 20th January 2011.
Epidemiology
and Research Division The research studies/projects taken up by the institute are as follows:
Activities that are planned to be carried out:
i)
Multi
centric studies on (a) capture – recapture studies to estimate the incidence of
TB, (b) TB diagnosis and treatment practices of providers in the private sector
and public sector other than public health sector (c) uptake and barriers for
HIV testing, ART and CPT among TB cases diagnosed under RNTCP (d) study on
relapse and mortality in RNTCP: Monitoring
& Evaluation Division With full coverage of RNTCP in the country, the
Institute is not compiling the reports on NTP. At present, the monitoring
activity is being carried out by the Central TB Division under DGHS. The
activities that are planned to be carried out are:
ii)
Web
based Operational Research Registry System for monitoring OR activities
iii) Development
of National TB Register
iv) Model
DOTS area development
v)
To
have individual patient wise monitoring using modern technology demonstrated by
hand held based mobile data management system. Communication
and Sociology Division
1.
The
Scientific Gallery has been established to disseminate the general information
on TB the evolution of the programme and achievements of the Institute since
its inception. Considering the needs of various categories of trainees, two
methods of display units viz., Photo Display and Projection facility and
Information Kiosk are available.
2.
One day
Awareness Programmes are held by the Division for the Medical and Para medical
students from different institutions of the state and neighbouring states,
orientation to students of medical colleges and other teaching.
3.
The
Division is planning to carryout research on sociological aspects of TB. Administration
Division
1.
The administrative division
facilitates for the comfortable stay of the participants who come for Training
/Workshops/Seminars by taking care of there accommodation by proper upkeeping
of Hostels and Guest Houses.
2.
It also takes care of the Transport
requirements for the Operations research and Field visits of Trainees.
3.
It is also responsible for security, upkeeping
and proper ambience of 23 acres of the sprawling NTI campus. Other important Activity
1.
The Faculty
and the technical staff participated in the appraisal and Central Evaluation of
RNTCP districts as and when called upon to do so and given the technical
support for implementation of RNTCP. |