Ammi Kumari, TNN Apr 5, 2013, 12.04AM IST

RANCHI: The Revised National Tuberculosis Control Programme (RNTCP) cell under the National Rural Health Mission (NRHM) will set up eight more supervisory units in seven districts. Earlier, there were 71 such units and with eight more coming up, there will be 79 units in all in the state.

Of the eight units, one will supervise the treatment programmes being run in the districts and another will oversee the functioning of testing laboratories. The seven districts which will have these units include Lohardaga, Giridih, Gumla, Pakur, Deoghar East Singbhum and West Singbhum.

The state TB officer, Rakesh Dayal said as per the norms, there should be one such unit for a population of five lakh, but given the necessity to expand the services and have quality supervision so that more and more people get access to these health facilities, it was decided to increase the number of units.

"The proposal has to come up from the districts after which it is send for Centre's approval. Growing population is one of the reasons behind the expansion plan. In some of the districts work has already started, staff recruitment will be done after the unit is ready. Senior treatment supervisor (STS) and senior TB laboratory supervisor ( STLF) along with other staff members will be recruited at first. Once recruited, they will undergo a training programme after which the units will become functional. The proposal got approval from the central government in the last financial year. These units will be functional soon," said Dayal.