3. • IEC -‘a public health approach aiming at
changing or reinforcing health-related
behaviour in a target audience, concerning a
specific problem and within a pre-defined
period of time, through communication
methods and principles’ (WHO).
4. • IEC is an important component of all public
health programmes.
• IEC activities under the RNTCP aim to promote
a better understanding of TB and its cure
among the masses, improve the quality of
care provided to TB patients, and to reduce
stigma. IEC activities plays important role in
making services more accessible to the poor
and the marginalised.
5. • RNTCP II aims to widen the scope for
providing standardized , good quality
treatment and diagnostic services to all TB
patients in the patient friendly environment in
whichever health care facility they seek
treatment. The IEC approach has important
role in popularising this aspect.
6. Objectives of IEC
1. Awareness-raising for behaviour change to
increase understanding about TB and the use of
RNTCP services and preventive action among
• the public, so that they make use of DOTS and
• medical practitioners across the country, so
that they know about correct TB diagnosis and
treatment and they refer symptomatic cases
for sputum test, or become DOT providers
themselves.
7. • 2. Advocacy to create, facilitate, develop and
forge political, administrative and
community-level commitment to TB control in
India.
8. • 3. Patient-provider communication and
counselling to help ensure patient compliance
with the treatment regimen, enhance the
reputation of a patient friendly service,
improve provider-attitude and skills, and
encourage patients and their families to
become advocates for the programme.
9. Principles
• 1. IEC should be process-rather than product-
oriented.
• 2. Detailed planning, choice of communication
channels and monitoring should be
decentralized to ensure local relevance and
wide reach of information
• 3. Strategies should address social issues
related to TB such as poverty, stigma and
gender.
15. The Orissa model of communication
• 1. Universal right to know
• 2. Cultural sensitivity
• 3. Gender sensitivity
• 4. Community participation
• 5. Multi-level partnership
• 6. Appropriate media mix
• 7. Research, monitoring and evaluation