7.1.1
Directly observed treatment (DOT)
National TB Management Guidelines, 2018 Edition. Chapter 7, Tuberculosis Management and Monitoring.
Clinical description
- The treatment supervisor watches the patient swallow the tablets throughout the
whole course to treatment. DOT ensures that the TB patient takes the right drugs, in the right doses at the right times. Supervisors or “treatment supporters,” can be health workers, volunteers, trained members of the community or guardians.
- A patient-centred approach with proper communication between the patient
and treatment supporter promotes patient education, good adherence and early identification of challenges with treatment (including side-effects and clinical worsening).
- All treatment supporters should be chosen together with and should be acceptable to
the patient.
- The need for good adherence and follow-up should always be reinforced.
- Patients should be reminded about the duration of treatment and common side effects.
Check doses against the printed guideline and your clinical judgement before treating a patient. Spotted an error? Report it from the contact links below.
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