Socioeconomic Divides in Tuberculosis Control: Study of Smear-Positive TB Prevalence, Care Seeking Behaviour and Role of Informal Healthcare Providers

The Government of Bangladesh (GoB) has intensified the implementation of the directly observed treatment, short-course (DOTS) strategy with the primary aims (i) to detect and treat at least 70% of TB cases in the community; and (ii) to ensure at least 85% cure rate of the detected cases using the DOTS strategy. Recently, the strategy has been further intensified in partnership with several non-governmental organizations (NGO), including BRAC. Now the strategy covers the entire country with the financial assistance from the Global Fund to Fight AIDS, Tuberculosis and Malaria (GFATM). [Research Monograph Series No. 41]