DOTS therapy was started under?

IGNOU Post B. SC. Nursing entrance-2019

Community Health Nursing

Easy

Appeared in: IGNOU Post B. SC. Nursing entrance-2019

Explanation

DOTS, which stands for Directly Observed Treatment, Short-course, is the primary internationally recommended strategy for controlling Tuberculosis (TB).
In India, the government revitalized its National Tuberculosis Programme in 1993 by launching the Revised National Tuberculosis Control Programme (RNTCP).
The RNTCP officially adopted the DOTS strategy to ensure high cure rates by making sure patients take their medication correctly and complete their treatment.
The core of DOTS is that a healthcare worker or a trained volunteer watches the patient swallow their anti-TB drugs, ensuring adherence.
The RNTCP has now been renamed the National Tuberculosis Elimination Programme (NTEP), but it continues to use the principles of the DOTS strategy.

Option B: The Malaria Control Programme (now under the National Vector Borne Disease Control Programme - NVBDCP) deals with preventing and treating malaria through vector control, rapid diagnostic tests, and antimalarial drugs like Artemisinin-based Combination Therapy (ACT).
Option C: The National Leprosy Eradication Programme (NLEP) uses Multi-Drug Therapy (MDT) as its core strategy to treat leprosy. MDT involves a combination of drugs such as dapsone, rifampicin, and clofazimine.
Option D: The National AIDS Control Programme (NACP), managed by the National AIDS Control Organisation (NACO), focuses on preventing HIV transmission and treating people living with HIV/AIDS using Antiretroviral Therapy (ART).

Clinical Relevance

Nursing practice connection: Knowing National Health Programmes in India and Tuberculosis Control Strategies helps nurses interpret findings accurately and avoid errors in routine assessment, medication administration, and patient teaching.
A nurse's role is central to the success of DOTS. Nurses act as DOTS providers, directly observing medication intake, educating patients and families on treatment adherence, and monitoring for adverse drug reactions like hepatitis (jaundice, vomiting), optic neuritis (vision changes with ethambutol), and peripheral neuropathy (tingling with isoniazid).
Nurses are responsible for maintaining accurate treatment cards and registers, which are essential for program monitoring and evaluation.
What if? If a patient on DOTS reports yellowing of the eyes and skin (jaundice), the nurse must immediately instruct the patient to stop the medication and refer them for an urgent medical evaluation. This is a sign of drug-induced hepatitis, a serious side effect of anti-TB drugs, which requires prompt management.

How to Approach the Question

First, identify the key term in the question: 'DOTS therapy'.
Recall the full form and purpose of DOTS: Directly Observed Treatment, Short-course, which is the primary strategy for treating Tuberculosis (TB).
Next, analyze the options, which are all national health programs in India.
Match the disease (Tuberculosis) with its corresponding national program. RNTCP stands for Revised National Tuberculosis Control Programme.
This direct link identifies the correct answer.
Eliminate the other options by recalling the diseases they target: Malaria, Leprosy, and HIV/AIDS, which have different treatment strategies (ACT, MDT, and ART, respectively).

Concept Tested & Keywords

Concept Tested: National Health Programmes in India and Tuberculosis Control Strategies
Stem keywords: DOTS therapy, started under
Lead-in keywords: BEST, MOST RELEVANT CLUE
Negative lead-in flag: false

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E6 Parks TextBook of Preventive & Social Medicine part 1 — Subpart C (pp 404-604 of 604) p. 102-104