title: Operational research leading to rapid national policy change: tuberculosis-diabetes collaboration in India.
abstract: In 2011, bi-directional screening for tuberculosis (TB) and diabetes mellitus (DM) was recommended by the World Health Organization (WHO), although how best to implement the activity was not clear. In India, with early engagement of national programme managers and all important stakeholders, a countrywide, multicentre operational research (OR) project was designed in October 2011 and completed in 2012. The results led to a rapid national policy decision to routinely screen all TB patients for DM in September 2012. The process, experience and enablers of implementing this unique and successful collaborative model of operational research are presented.
authors.affiliation: International Union Against Tuberculosis and Lung Disease (The Union), South-East Asia Office, New Delhi, India.
authors.forename: A M V
authors.initials: AM
authors.lastname: Kumar
authors.affiliation: International Union Against Tuberculosis and Lung Disease (The Union), South-East Asia Office, New Delhi, India.
authors.forename: S
authors.initials: S
authors.lastname: Satyanarayana
authors.affiliation: International Union Against Tuberculosis and Lung Disease (The Union), South-East Asia Office, New Delhi, India.
authors.forename: N C
authors.initials: NC
authors.lastname: Wilson
authors.affiliation: International Union Against Tuberculosis and Lung Disease (The Union), South-East Asia Office, New Delhi, India.
authors.forename: S S
authors.initials: SS
authors.lastname: Chadha
authors.affiliation: Directorate General of Health Services, Ministry of Health and Family Welfare, Government of India, New Delhi, India.
authors.forename: D
authors.initials: D
authors.lastname: Gupta
authors.affiliation: Office of the World Health Organization Representative in India, New Delhi, India.
authors.forename: S
authors.initials: S
authors.lastname: Nair
authors.affiliation: Medical Department, Médecins Sans Frontières, Operational Centre Brussels, MSF-Luxembourg, Luxembourg.
authors.forename: R
authors.initials: R
authors.lastname: Zachariah
authors.affiliation: World Diabetes Foundation, Gentofte, Denmark.
authors.forename: A
authors.initials: A
authors.lastname: Kapur
authors.affiliation: The Union, Paris, France ; London School of Hygiene & Tropical Medicine, London, UK.
authors.forename: A D
authors.initials: AD
authors.lastname: Harries
keywords: TB-DM collaboration; operational research; policy