New Delhi: one mobile app is helping to close the gap in knowledge about tuberculosis for thousands of health workers as the central government strives to achieve its ambitious goal of reducing the burden of TB by 2025. After its initial launch in January 2022, the “Ni-kshay SetuThe app has helped more than 17,000 frontline healthcare workers and other personnel at the district, state and national levels to gain knowledge on various aspects of the disease, including diagnosis, treatment and evaluation of their training through digital modules, according to officials.
according to him World Health Organization (WHO), the total number of incident TB patients (new and recurrent) in 2021 in India was 19,33,381, an increase of 19 percent compared to the previous year.
The Union government has set itself the goal of strategically reducing the TB burden in the country by 2025, five years ahead of the Sustainable Development Goals, under its National Tuberculosis Elimination Program (NTEP).
“The Ni-kshay Setu app aims to increase the ability of health workers to treat patients by helping to bridge the knowledge gap about the disease,” said Dr. Harsh Shah, national coordinator of the TB project. at the Gandhinagar-based Indian Institute of Public Health. Health (IIPH) that developed it.
Since the release of the second updated version of the app earlier this month, it is attracting almost 1,000 users a week, Shah told PTI.
He said the number of additions continues to grow as the app broadens its base to meet the requirements of healthcare workers in 35 states and union territories.
The need for the app was first felt after a survey covering 460 healthcare workers, more than 900 TB patients, frontline workers, state and district TB officers and private doctors etc. in Gujarat and Jharkhand, revealed gaps in their knowledge about the bacterial disease.
“The knowledge assessment showed that the gaps ranged from 20 to 45 percent between the different cadres. Knowledge about patient management and new case findings scored lowest among all sections interviewed,” Shah said. .
He said that “Ni-kshay Setu” helps users to assess suspected TB patients based on their details and symptoms and provides decision-making algorithms to reach their diagnosis and treatment regimen.
“It also provides a geospatial mapping of health facilities along with the availability of services. There is also an interactive artificial intelligence (AI) based chatbot to answer user queries. This app is available in multiple languages with real-time, choice-based learning. patient centered careShah said.
The additional director of the Gujarat State TB Demonstration and Training Center, Dr. Pankaj Nimavat, said the app is particularly good in terms of diagnosing and treating the disease.
“Health care workers know where to refer patients in case of adverse drug reactions and how to treat the case,” Nimavat said.
He said the app is also helping in capacity building for healthcare workers as part of the “End TB Strategy” assessing workers and providing the facility for integrated testing before and after their training.
According to the WHO World TB Report 2021, the estimated incidence of all forms of TB in India in 2020 was 188 per 100,000 population and the total number of incident TB patients (new and recurrent) during 2021 was 19 33 381.
