The program included staff training, providing test kits and drugs, supervision, monitoring and evaluation activities.
Lack of drugs, supervision, and feedback often resulted in lack of continuous practice, forgetfulness, and hence, poor performance and demotivation.
Another limitation is that in some countries over the past decade, since the publication of older TOM results, changes may have occurred in TB epidemiology, diagnosis (e.g. molecular techniques), treatment (e.g. individualised, better second-line drugs), supervision (i.e. admission, incentives) and surveillance, monitoring and reporting (e.g. electronic).
The government says it plans to spend $1.1 billion to improve food and drug safety supervision by 2010.
A probable explanation for this result is that if administering a drug requires supervision by a qualified healthcare professional, then one might be better off having the drug administered in a clinical setting.
A portable, disposable, single-use inhaler device (the Penthrox inhaler), along with a single 3 milliliter brown glass vial of methoxyflurane is provided in doctor's kits that allows conscious hemodynamically stable patients (including children over the age of 5 years) to self-administer the drug, under supervision.
Taking into account the administration of the study drug under supervision, no measure for monitoring compliance was indicated.
The results section is presented by thematic content (training and establishing supports, drug supply, supervision, and job aids) and draws on both the quantitative and qualitative results.
Challenges: The initial implementation phase of IMCI faces the following challenges, which relate to two areas, namely: improved drug availability, supervision, other health system improvements; and training of health workers/follow-up visits.
IMCI has three components: strengthening health worker skills in managing childhood illnesses; strengthening health systems (drug availability, supervision, referral and health information systems); and informing community and household practices related to child health.
