Dr B Mahadev, CMO, NTI.
Dr Raj Singh & Dr Shanta Ghatak, WHO RNTCP Medical Consultants.

TB is the number one public health enemy in India, causing immense social and economic burden.

By teaching medical students about RNTCP, we shall be ensuring sustainability of the programme in our country. Considering the magnitude of the problem, the UG curriculum needs to be revised based on the RNTCP policy.

There has not been a uniform and consistent approach of teaching TB and its control to the UG medical students. This has resulted in lack of understanding of scientific practices of TB control programme. With the advent of RNTCP, it is important to pass on the knowledge of the global consensus on a sound and scientific basis for diagnosis and treatment of TB.

At the end of the course an UG student should be able to identify, diagnose and treat TB as per the RNTCP principles and guidelines.

Must know

Introduction

Magnitude of the problem

RNTCP organisational set up

Case definition

Diagnosis

Rationale of Intermittent chemotherapy in RNTCP

Treatment regimen/categorisation

Recording and reporting/Monitoring

Field visits

Desirable to know

MDR-TB – DOTS Plus

HIV-TB

TB & co-existent diseases e.g., diabetes

Childhood TB

Good to know

Social aspects of TB

Methodology

Integrated teaching: The departments of Medicine / Chest Medicine/ PSM should be involved in teaching.

Med./ Chest Dept: 2 hours lectures on RNTCP in the 2nd and final clinical years.

PSM Dept: Two hours in the 2nd Year.

Practical training for UGs in the final clinical years:

Field visits involving the state government health system (DTO, MO-TU & MO-PHI).

Community based problem solving.

On hand training.

An internee should be able to identify, diagnose, categorise a TB patient attending the rural training centre. The rural training centre should be upgraded to handle TB patients under RNTCP.

Evaluation.

In-house periodic assessment should include questions on RNTCP.

Evaluation of the curriculum should be undertaken periodically.

Every medical college should have a TU/MC/DOT Centre for field visits of medical students.

A resolution from this Workshop to MCI to include RNTCP in the medical curriculum.

RNTCP should be included in PG teaching curricula.

Compulsory posting of PG students in RNTCP OPD.

Med/Chest Med - 2 months over 2 years.

Med: Out of the chest posting at least 2 weeks/3 weeks for RNTCP.

PSM - 3 months over 2 years.

1-2 Seminars/clinical meetings on RNTCP during PG years.

Thesis/ Dissertations on RNTCP.

Upgradation of library – CTD to support & encourage the visits of PG students to NTI/TRC/LRS etc., with CTD/ Parent institute/ University support.

A National Quiz on RNTCP in the Medical colleges for UG students.