The Role of the General Practitioner in Detection and Control of Tuberculosis

In Romania, the detection, diagnosis, treatment and prophylaxis of tuberculosis (TB) is being preformed according to the “National Strategy for TB Control 2007–2011”, part of the National Program for the Control of TB 2007–2011 that has been approved by Government Decree. The program has been developed by Romanian experts and it observes the WHO requirements regarding the Global Control of TB in the world. The National Strategy for TB Control aims to maintain a 100% coverage of the WHO DOTS (Directly Observed Therapy in Short course) strategy for prevention of abandon, failures and disorganized treatments with missed doses that may lead to development of chemoresistant strains. It is obvious that the family physician in direct contact with the population is the most suitable to identify TB suspects and their contacts, and to contribute to the correct progress of the outpatient treatment of TB.