India: HIV helpline will hear TB patients
Mumbai: The city's HIV helpline, Saadhan (2411 4000), will be used to disseminate information about TB as well. With one XXDR (extra extensively drug resistant) TB patient testing positive for HIV, health officials thought it logical to club the information system for both infections.
Dr S S Kudalkar, project director, Mumbai District Aids Control Society (MDACS), said, "The helpline will be later extended even to malaria. People will get information right from symptoms to treatment to testing centres."
The MDACS is in talks with the World Health Organization (WHO) to prepare a module for helpline counsellors. Their training is likely to start in February. The helpline would be opened for TB queries in March.
MDACS's additional project director Dr Harish Pathak said Saadhan gets an average of 30 calls per day and about 120 calls on disease campaign days. "Presently, the helpline is used just 30-40% of its capacity. So we thought of utilizing it for TB as well."
Once the helpline starts, judging by its response, the National AIDS Control Organization (Naco) can be requested to increase the existing strength of four counsellors, Pathak said. "The helpline will also counsel patients about the importance of going for TB testing if they test positive for HIV and vice versa."
By Sumitra Deb Roy
The Times of India
http://timesofindia.indiatimes.com/
http://articles.timesofindia.indiatimes.com/2012-01-28/mumbai/30673446_1_tb-patients-xxdr-helpline