New Strategy – ACTS

ACTS – Active Compliance Treatment Strategy is a new methodology devised by ZMQ to tackle Tuberculosis. It is a multi-tier system change strategy which uses the expanse of technology as one of the ways to tackle TB. With ubiquity of mobile networks and increasing number of cell-phone users, the technology embedded design offers a system changing approach in treatment and management of TB. The model includes patients as part of the solution design, which is a Bottom-Up Technology model. It empowers patients to take control of their treatment with limited supervision. It reduces the burden of DOTS providers which is human resource extensive.

This approach will have huge societal impact as it gives control to patients to manage their treatment using mobile phone tools with compliance reporting, reminders and other information channels. It helps in creating new networks of treated patients as new knowledge providers, who will serve as peer-educators in communities to provide assistive support to patients thus making it as a Community-led model.

The key worked to this approach is being ‘Active’. ACTS has multi-tier technologies at different level. Combined, all these technologies developed under Active Compliance Treatment Strategy are called ACTS Technologies.

Some of the salient features of ACTS are as follows:
   1. Fully –technology linked Health and Adherence Management System;
   2. Building Environment for Active Adherence;
   3. Reducing the burden of existing infrastructure;
   4. Having the Community involvement in adherence.