Muthukumar Shunmugam1 , Joseph Pratheeban 2 , P. Suresh Kumar 3 , Manivel Ganesan 4
BACKGROUND Tuberculosis remains to be a major public health problem in the world. This study sought to determine DOTS treatment outcomes and to investigate specific factors for unsuccessful treatment outcomes among TB patients to evaluate effectiveness of DOTS programme in our Kanyakumari district. According to the World Health Organization (WHO), treatment outcome is an important indicator for Tuberculosis (TB) prevention and control programme. We analysed the records of 227 sputum positive pulmonary tuberculosis patients (category 1) treated in our tertiary care centre serving to Kanyakumari District, from January, 2015 to December 2015. MATERIALS AND METHODS In this record-based retrospective study, sputum positive PT cases in KGMCH during the time period of January 2015-December 2015 were studied.11 Data were collected from the RNTCP- District Tuberculosis Centre. Recorded information was entered in a precoded proforma and included age, sex, sputum status, category of DOTS, outcome and diabetic status. The total number of cases was 227. RESULTS Out of the 227 cases analysed, the treatment outcomes were categorised according to RNTCP guidelines during the study period. In this study, 78.8% were males and 21% were females. 59 cases (26%) were associated with type II diabetes mellitus. 6 were patients living with HIV/AIDS. We have achieved treatment success rate 84.59%, which is compatible with national target of 80%. However, certain proportion of people were defaulters, treatment failure and died, which were the serious public health concerns that needed to be addressed. CONCLUSION Therefore, treatment plans that emphasise Directly Observed Treatment Short course (DOTS) for at-risk patients have the greatest success in improving tuberculosis treatment outcome in the region. Urgent need for strengthening treatment outcome monitoring to ensure effective program implementation and case management system in the study area is strongly recommended.
