Digital chest X-ray through a mobile van: public private partnership to detect sputum negative pulmonary TB

Nearly half of the smear negative pulmonary TB in National TB Programme remain undetected in Haryana (north Indian state), probably due to poor access to chest radiography. A corporate hospital stepped into fill this infrastructure gap in Rewari district of Haryana by sending a mobile van with digital x-ray facilities and paramedic staff. The staff of the public health facility coordinated with the eligible patients and ensured that they visited on the designated day. The District TB Officer interpreted the x-ray and made decisions about diagnosis and treatment. The support was provided between May and Dec 2014 in seven public health centres (primary/secondary level) of the district. A total of 355 patients were examined, of whom 122 (34.4%) were diagnosed as smear negative pulmonary TB and started on treatment according to programme guidelines. This public–private partnership needs to be scaled-up and better designed studies are required to assess community-level impact and cost-effectiveness.