Freedom TB – An Active Compliance Treatment System (ACTS) for Tuberculosis Adherence and Treatment

TB is the oldest and one of the largest killer diseases in the world. Almost over 80% of the Tuberculosis cases in world are from 22 High Burden countries including India, China, Russia, Pakistan, South Africa, Kenya, Burma, Ethiopia and Afghanistan. The patients infected with Tuberculosis have to take medicine regularly for 6 months to get fully cured. The medicines are very strong. If you miss the dose, the disease of TB can turn into a severe form of TB called MDR (Multi Drug Resistant) TB. Treating this takes 2 years and is 10 time more expensive. Also, majority of TB patients are poor and weak, and they have to travel all the way to the center to take medicine. We are addressing the problem of TB treatment and cure to be more streamlined and effective. It is solved by adopting a new innovation of ZMQ called Active Compliance and Treatment System (ACTS) for TB adherence and treatment.

ZMQ have developed an innovative technology linked model for combating TB through a bottom-up approach where patients, families and communities engage actively in building awareness, case finding, treatment management and active compliance and adherence. The whole methodology developed is called ACTS – Active Compliance and Treatment System. In partnership with Revised National TB Program of India and State TB program of Delhi and Haryana States. ZMQ has deployed the program in 3 districts in India – Mewat in Haryana (3500 Patients, Population of 1.21 million); Jehangirpuri [&] Magolpuri in Delhi (2200 patients, Population of 980,000). Also, ACTS being deployed in Uganda in 2015 in partnership with National TB and Leprosy Program Uganda and is covering 7 TB Centres in 2 Districts namely Wakiso and Kampala with a 1000 patients covering a population of 560,000.

The key objective of ZMQ is to establish Technology linked Development Model in Health, build stronger community linkages with the Public Health Systems, build digital tools for capacity building – Knowledge, Attitudes and Practice (KAP) in patients, families, communities and rural women and high-risk groups (vulnerable) access to Health Systems. ZMQ has developed solutions for different aspects of TB Management, multilevel awareness building, Community Supportive Supervision, Strengthening DOTS and Strengthening Patients adherence for both TB and MDR-TB. The whole approach of building bottom-up approach of combatting TB where communities (also patients) are in-charge of management disease is building of Active Ground for TB Control, which is by provisioning sustained flow of digital communication tools at the community around TB disease, its Risks, Prevention, Care [&] Support, Symptoms, issues around Stigma and discrimination, Diagnosis, Treatment and Adherence.

ZMQ has a strong digital Communication for Development division to develop digital communication and behaviour Change tools on TB for communities, families, youth and women in SHGs. This process is of deploying learning, capacity building and behaviour tools at community level are called ‘Active Ground Building for Combatting TB’. In the expanding environment of mobile and reach of digital connectivity, it becomes important to provision sustained flow of variety digital communication tools on TB like m-Learning, Games of TB and other related issues, Audio-Visual, digital stories etc. . Under the initiative we have developed new technology linked model for combatting TB through a bottom-up approach where patients, families and communities engage actively in building awareness, case finding, treatment management and active compliance and adherence. The whole methodology developed is called ACTS – Active Compliance and Treatment System.