RNTCP

1. REVISED NATIONAL TUBERCULOSIS CONTROLL
PROGRAMME
• National tuberculosis programme (NTP) has been in operation
since 1962.However , the treatment success rates were
unacceptably low and the death and default rates remained
high. Spread of multidrug resistant TB was threatening to
further worsen the situation .
• In view of this , in 1992 government of India along with WHO
and SIDA reviewed the TB situation in the country and came
up with following conclusions :
• NTP , though technically sound , suffered from managerial
weaknesses .
• Inadequate funding .
• Over-reliance on X-ray for diagnosis
• Frequent interrupted supplies of drugs .
• Low rates of treatment completion

2. • In 1993 , in order to overcome these lacunae , the
government of India decided to give a new thrust to TB
control activities by revitalizing the NTP , with the
assistance from international agencies . The revised
National TB control programme ( RNTCP) thus
formulated , adopted the internationally recommended
directly Observed Treatment Short – Course ( DOTS)
strategy , as the most systematic and cost effective
approach to revitalize the TB control programme in
India .
• THE OBJECTIVES OF THE RNTCP ARE :-
1. Achievement of at least 85 per cent cure rate of
infectious cases of tuberculosis ; through DOTS
involving peripheral health functionaries ; and
2. Augmentation of case finding activities through
quality sputum microscopy to detect at least 70 per
cent of estimated cases.

3.  The revised strategy was introduced in the country in a phased
manner as pilot
 phase I,
 Pilot phase II and
 phase III.
 By the end of 1998 , only 2 percent of the total population of India
was covered by RNTCP. Large – scale implementation began in late
1998 . The RNTCP has expanded rapidly the years and since march
2006. it covers the the whole country .The RNTCP has now entered
into it’s second phase in which the programme aims to consolidate
the gains made to date , to widen services in terms of activities and
access and to sustain the achievement .

4. DOTS strategy adopted by Revised National TB
control programme initially had the following five
main components :-
1) Political will and administrative commitment
2) Diagnosis by quality assured sputum smear
microscopy.
3) Adequate supply of quality assured assured short
course chemotherapy drugs .
4) Directly observed treatment .
5) Systematic monitoring and accountability.

5. In 2006 , STOP TB strategy was announced by WHO
and adopted by RNTCP . The components are as
follows :
Pursuing quality DOTS – expansion and
enhancement .
Addressing TB/HIV and MDR –TB .
Contributing to health system strengthening.
Engaging all care providers.
Empowering patients and communities .
Enabling and promoting research ( diagnosis ,
Treatment , vaccine) .