The Hindu : New Delhi News : New coding scheme for kala-azar patients

Online edition of India's National Newspaper
Wednesday, Sep 19, 2007
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New Delhi

New Delhi

New coding scheme for kala-azar patients

Aarti Dhar

System will be able to track patient right down to the primary health sub-centre

It will rule out duplication in counting of patients
Scheme to be implemented in four States

NEW DELHI: The Union Health and Family Welfare Ministry has decided to introduce a coding scheme for kala-azar patients whereby the system will be able to track the patient right down to the primary health sub-centre at the village level.

This will also rule out duplication in the counting of kala-azar patients by various health institutions.

The scheme will be implemented in the kala-azar endemic States of Bihar, Jharkhand, Uttar Pradesh and West Bengal by the National Vector Borne Disease Control Programme, the nodal agency for prevention and control of vector-borne diseases.Prevalent among the lower socio-economic groups, the National Health Policy (2002) has set the goal for eliminating the disease by 2010. Authoritative sources in the Ministry told The Hindu that the patient coding scheme would have the country code-cum-state, district, primary health centre, sub-centre or non-governmental organisation and patient codes in this order.

The country code-cum-state codes have already been allocated to the States — Uttar Pradesh (IND1), Bihar (IND2), Jharkhand (IND3) and West Bengal (IND4).

Under the patient coding scheme, each kala-azar case will have the country code IND along with the state code and a 10-digit numerical code. No two patients will have the same 10-digit numerical code during the Kala-Azar Elimination Programme period.

The details pertaining to patient information, such as the location of the patient along with sub-centre or NGO (including medical colleges) information as entered on the Treatment Card will be reflected at the district level in the reports submitted by the NGOs involved in the process.

Copies of the reports pertaining to the unit will also be available at the PHC/sub-centre of NGO level, as also with the patient for reference.

According to the scheme, each kala-azar case in a state will have a unique code number which will be depicted in the kala-azar treatment centre register, Kala-Azar Treatment Card and the District Master Register for Kala-Azar cases. This will facilitate monitoring of treatment compliance.

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