INFORMATION EDUCATION AND COMMUNICATION IN RNTCP

Dr. Rikin Hasnani

• DEFINATION• OBJECTIVES• PRINCIPLES• GOALS• BARRIERS AND SERVICES• ORISSA COMMUNICATION MODEL

• IEC -‘a public health approach aiming at changing or reinforcing health-related behaviour in a target audience, concerning a specific problem and within a pre-defined period of time, through communication methods and principles’ (WHO).

• IEC is an important component of all public health programmes.

• IEC activities under the RNTCP aim to promote a better understanding of TB and its cure among the masses, improve the quality of care provided to TB patients, and to reduce stigma. IEC activities plays important role in making services more accessible to the poor and the marginalised.

• RNTCP II aims to widen the scope for providing standardized , good quality treatment and diagnostic services to all TB patients in the patient friendly environment in whichever health care facility they seek treatment. The IEC approach has important role in popularising this aspect.

Objectives of IEC

1. Awareness-raising for behaviour change to increase understanding about TB and the use of RNTCP services and preventive action among• the public, so that they make use of DOTS and• medical practitioners across the country, so

that they know about correct TB diagnosis and treatment and they refer symptomatic cases for sputum test, or become DOT providers themselves.

• 2. Advocacy to create, facilitate, develop and forge political, administrative and community-level commitment to TB control in India.

• 3. Patient-provider communication and counselling to help ensure patient compliance with the treatment regimen, enhance the reputation of a patient friendly service, improve provider-attitude and skills, and encourage patients and their families to become advocates for the programme.

Principles

• 1. IEC should be process-rather than product-oriented.

• 2. Detailed planning, choice of communication channels and monitoring should be decentralized to ensure local relevance and wide reach of information

• 3. Strategies should address social issues related to TB such as poverty, stigma and gender.

GOALS – Behaviour change

BARRIERS AND SERVICES

ORISSA MODEL

The Orissa model of communication

• 1. Universal right to know• 2. Cultural sensitivity• 3. Gender sensitivity• 4. Community participation• 5. Multi-level partnership• 6. Appropriate media mix• 7. Research, monitoring and evaluation

THANK YOU