IJCM_260A: Utilization of dbt(direct benefit transfer) under Nikshay poshan yojana by tuberculosis patients attending to tuberculosis unit in a government general hospital.

Background: Nikshay Poshan Yojana was launched by MoH&FW, a centrally sponsored scheme under National Health Mission (NHM)on April 2018. Under the programme financial incentive of Rs.500/- per month is given for each notified TB patient, whether treated in public or private sector notified on the Nikshay platform. This study aims to understand the utilization of NPY. Objectives: 1. To know the purpose of utilizing the NPY by the TB patients. 2. To assess the gaps for delay in credit the amount. Methodology: It’s a cross-sectional study done among patients who were registered at DTC-TB unit of Government Medical College Kakinada through telephonic interview. Sample size was estimated to be 64 taking prevalence of NPY as 80% with absolute error of 10%. Data was collected by using questionnaire in November 2023 and analyzed by SPSS 21.0. Prior permission from Institutional Ethics committee was obtained. Results: Mean age of participants was 41.4+12.4yrs. Males contributing 85.4% and females 14.6%. Nearly half (48%) has taken 2months of treatment, 97.9%were under category I treatment and all were enrolled under NPY. Awareness on NPY was 79.2% and 95.8% reported irregularity in getting NPY. Out of those who received NPY, only 42.1% utilized it for nutrition. Conclusion: DBT enrolment was good. Availability of DBT to the patients was very minimal.