National Institute of TB and Respiratory Diseases 3.84

The National Institute of Tuberculosis and Respiratory Diseases was established as an autonomous Institute under Ministry of Health & Family Welfare through up-gradation of the erstwhile Lala Ram Sarup TB Hospital in 1991. Over the past two decades it has established itself both Nationally and Internationally in the field of Tuberculosis and Respiratory Diseases. The Government has supported both technically and financially to make it an apex Institute in the country.

The Institute has the prime objective of patient care, which it is delivering through its 470 bedded hospital, a State-of-Art Out Patient Department averaging 500 patients a day and Outreach facilities where it provide diagnostics and treatment to the TB patients at their door step through the Revised National Tuberculosis Control Programme (RNTCP).

The Institute also promotes the RNTCP and helps formulate strategies, which are socially acceptable and economically feasible so as to assist and strengthen the Programme. In this regard, the Institute assisted in formulation, pilot testing and implementation of the RNTCP, contributed to human resource development Programme through training of over 10,000 National level trainers and as a National Reference Laboratory assisted RNTCP in maintaining the global standards through quality assurance for the laboratories in the country. Further, the Institute Faculty is participating in different national committees of the RNTCP and facilitating in policy development. The Institute has been a guiding force in formulating such policies in relation to involvement of private sector and medical colleges in the Programme, management of pediatric tuberculosis, operational research etc.

The third main objective of the Institute is to undertake teaching programmes which are being carried out through the Academic Section. The Institute prepares 30 students in the DNB course in Respiratory Medicine and is one of the largest single specialty DNB institutions in the country. The faculty is highly motivated, energetic and involved in imparting State-of-Art patient care and engaging in various research activities. Original research papers are being published regularly in peer reviewed National & International journals.

Besides tuberculosis, the Institute also caters to other non-tuberculous lung disease and is unique in providing comprehensive respiratory care under one roof. Department of Tuberculosis and Respiratory Diseases is supported by the other departments and laboratories for patient care. The Dr. R.C. Jain Thoracic Surgical Centre is dedicated for various thoracic surgical procedures and is well known Nationally and also gets referrals from neighbouring countries. This Centre is gearing up to take on the challenges like lung transplant programme and Minimal Access Surgeries. The Institute is providing comprehensive management facilities to patients of lung cancer and is also developing the rehabilitation programme for patients with various respiratory diseases. The Specialised clinics such as Tobacco Cessation Clinic, Allergy Clinic and Surgical Clinic etc. are also very popular. The Health Education Department of the Institute is involved in the educational activities on tuberculosis and various other respiratory diseases and institute conducts CMEs on regular basis for medical professionals.

The Institute has State-of-Art Respiratory Intensive Care Unit which provides care for critically ill patients. The 14 bedded ICU is equipped with State-of-Art equipments for diagnosis and management and has dedicated trained staff.

The HIV/AIDS clinic run by the Institute is expanding its activities in patient care and research and is assisting in policy development at the national level.

The Microbiology department has an International level laboratory accredited by the CDC, Atlanta & Antewerp, Belgium and a BSL-III Laboratory is already functional. The department provides advanced diagnostic facilities for mycobacterial and other diseases. Besides routine solid mycobacterial culture, the department provides liquid culture facilities like Bactec & MGIT system. Every year over 7000 mycobacterial cultures and DSTs are carried out by the Institute. PCR & RT-PCR facilities are available that explore various newer diagnostics. The Department is routinely doing the molecular diagnostic tests like L.P.A. and has also acquired the Gene Expert technology. The department also carries out other microbial work including viral, fungal and parasitic diseases relevant to respiratory medicine.

The Institute was first in the country to initiate the piloting of the Programmatic Management of Drug Resistant Tuberculosis (PMDT) which has lead to the development of the national strategy for managing drug resistant tuberculosis. Now with entire Delhi offering PMDT the Institute is providing culture and drug susceptibility testing facilities to six chest clinics and treatment facilities for four of them. The Institute has State-of-Art MDR-TB ward with negative pressure control ventilation and temperature control for hospitalising the drug resistant TB patients.

While the Institute is fully geared to take up both clinical and research issues in the field of Tuberculosis and Respiratory Diseases, we are also looking for and willing to take up partnerships to expand these areas, both from National and International agencies. Our vision to be Centre of Excellence in the field of TB and Respiratory Diseases and to be an advanced centre in the Region in the field of the Thoracic Medicine.