Target Tuberculosis

Tamil Nadu, in the southernmost part of India, has one of the highest levels of TB and HIV in India. 10% of India's national HIV burden is in the State of Tamil Nadu. The dual epidemics are a significant health threat. In this region, Working conditions are often poor – over-crowded and badly ventilated rooms provide optimum conditions for a contagious disease like TB to spread. As many people work as daily wage labourers, loss of income due to ill health can push whole families into poverty.

Building the capacity of our partners:

We recognise and value community contributions to TB control. We support our local partners to build networks with similar organisations working in the area so that they can share learning and best practice, and work together to influence the government on improving TB control at the local, district, state and national levels. We also want to build evidence to demonstrate the effectiveness of community based TB control interventions. Between 2007 and 2010, Target TB supported an operational research project to assess the impact of community based TB control programmes in Theni district.

The research indicated the significant positive impact community based organisations can make in improving the quality and effectiveness of TB control programmes. The research also identified the interest in community based organisations to gain skills in health research, and we are now working on a project to build the capacity of NGOs in Theni district on health research, with support from the Wellcome Trust.

Target TB is working in Theni district in Tamil Nadu with:

Development Action Consortium Trust (DACT) and Maharasthra Association of Anthropological Sciences (MAAS).

Blossom Trust in Virudhunagar district of Tamil Nadu, where the majority of the population work as daily wage labourers in crop fields or are employed by the fabric weaving, match and fireworks industries.

We raise awareness and understanding of TB using innovative and entertaining methods of community education such as drama and traditional music and song. Here, Blossom Educlowns draw a crowd!

We equip health workers with motorbikes and bicycles so they can get across many neighbourhoods. They can find, diagnose and treat people by going right into the heart of communities. Here, Neevalathi rides out.

We train health workers and community volunteers to provide TB patients with all the necessary support and encouragement they need to complete the 6-8 month treatment and to be fully cured of TB, like Boopathi, left.

With DACT, in Theni district, many of the people that we help recover from TB have worked in the textile industry. With Blossom, many have worked in the match industry. Working conditions can contribute to TB.