Revised National Tuberculosis Control Programme

Tuberculosis is caused by various strains of mycobacterium, usually Mycobacterium tuberculosis. It usually attacks the lungs but can also affect other parts of the body.

National Tuberculosis Control Programme was started in 1962 on a 50:50 sharing basis between Centre and State. The objectives of the Programme were to reduce the morbidity and mortality; to reduce disease transmission and to diagnose as many cases of tuberculosis as possible and to provide free treatment.

The National TB Control Programme was later expanded to cover additional 100 million population in 100 districts/reporting units. For the first time in India, a web-based resource centre was developed for preparing TB communication materials. The heart of this programme is DOTS and that is why DOTS is known as the Revised National TB control programme (RNTCP) in India.

Note:

DOTS, is an acronym for Directly Observed Treatment, Short course. The DOTS strategy represents the most important public health breakthrough of the decade, in terms of lives which will be saved.