Target TB working in partnership with Raphael

Country/regional profile

India has a population of approximately 1.1 billion people. It is the 12th largest economy in the world, however, despite dramatic economic growth in recent years, over 25% of Indians still live on less than $1 a day.

India has the highest incidence of infectious TB in the world. Untreated cases of TB can be fatal and around 1,000 Indians die of TB everyday.

This project is situated in Dehradun, a mountainous area in the foothills of the Himalayas in Uttaranchal State, NE India. Approximately 90% of the region is hilly, resulting in communities which are spread out and have limited access to health services.

doctor at Raphael examines a chest x-ray for TB symptoms

A doctor at Raphael examines a chest
x-ray for TB symptoms

Our work with Raphael

Target TB is working in partnership with the Raphael Ryder-Cheshire International Centre for the Relief of Suffering (Raphael). This is an established local organistion founded by Lady Ryder and her husband Lord Cheshire in 1957. Raphael started working in TB in the 1970s, originally supporting a BCG vaccination programme in the area.

Since then the TB programme has expanded and in 1984 a specialised TB hospital and out-patients clinic was established to serve TB patients in Uttaranchal and adjoining states of Uttar Pradesh and Himachal. People come from far away to access these specialised services, as the hospital is one of the few such dedicated facilities in India.

Project Aims

To provide high quality TB testing and treatment facilities to TB patients, including a specialised in-patient unit for the chronically ill.

Project Activities

Providing recognised TB testing services through sputum microscopy and x-ray under the Indian Government’s Revised National TB Control Programme.

Providing comprehensive TB treatment support to patients in order to meet and exceed World Health Organisation targets for TB cure and completion rates.

Providing a specialised in-patient facility to TB patients who need to be hospitalised. Hospitalisation may be needed due to severe TB treatment side-effects, more serious forms of TB, or people who are extremely ill due to delays in seeking diagnosis and treatment. Most in-patients stay for 4-6 weeks and receive high quality care free of charge from the resident doctors and nurses. All patients at the hospital receive 3 nutritious meals a day and there is a facility for family members to stay at the hospital whilst visiting.