Involvement of private practitioners in RNTCP.

Private Practitioners are often the first point of conduct for a significant proportion of TB patients. For long-term success of RNTCP involvement of them is very essential. All Private Practitioners can support and encourage effective TB control by ensuring prompt referral, providing reassurance to patients, giving RNTCP recommended drug regimens and only starting treatment with rifampicin containing regimens if the full course of treatment can be ensured to be completed under direct observation. Schemes for Private Practitioners' involvement in RNTCP are: Scheme 1 referral services, scheme 2 provision of Directly Observed Treatment, scheme 3a designated MC--microscopy only, scheme 3b designated paid MC-microscopy and treatment, scheme 4a designated MC-microscopy only, scheme 4 b designated MC-microscopy and treatment. Nationwide Public--Private Mix (PPM) services involving 1500 private practitioners are providing RNTCP services successfully.