Vision: The TB Working Group enhances NGO capacity to design and implement quality TB programs.

2007 Working Group Highlights

• The TB working group organized a two day international Lessons Learned Exchange: Community-Based Approaches to Tuberculosis Control. Fifty-four members and partners participated in the Lessons Learned Exchange, with participants attending from CORE Group member organizations, USAID, WHO, and other leaders in the field of community-based approaches to program design and implementation. Data collected in preparation for the meeting and input generated during the meeting will inform a final paper, which will focus on ways to integrate community-based approaches into TB programming. Proceedings from the meeting are available on the CORE Group website.

• Working group members provided expertise and input to the STOP TB Partnership's Advocacy, Communication and Social Mobilization (ACSM) activities. The goal of ACSM is to support National TB Programs and other country initiatives to: improve case detection and treatment adherence, combat stigma and discrimination, empower people affected by TB, and mobilize political commitment and resources for TB. TB working group members were polled for data, ideas and issues concerning their organizations' ongoing or proposed TB portfolios. The TB working group and the ACSM working group regularly share and exchange information to inform best practices and innovative solutions for those working in TB programs.

• TB working group members provided several technical updates. Topics this year included: Addressing Stigma: TB and HIV/AIDS, TB and HIV/AIDS: Co-Infection Issues, Overview of Project Hopes TB Control Programs, and an update on the Compendium of Indicators for M&E of TB Programs.

• Past highlights

Working Group Tools/Resources

• The Expansion of Community-Based Tuberculosis Programming: Critical Program Design Issues for New Partners
• 2006 Tuberculosis Technical Reference Materials [English]
• 2004 Tuberculosis Technical Reference Materials [Russian]
• Iternational Standards for Tuberculosis Care. Seventeen "standards" of TB diagnosis, treatment, and public health responsibilities. 2006.
• The Patients' Charter for Tuberculosis Care: Patients' Rights and Responsibilities. 2006.
• The STOP TB Strategy: Building on and Enhancing DOTS to Meet the TB-Related Millennium Development Goals. 2006.
• Social Mobilisation of NGOs in TB Control. Reports from workshops in Brazil and Bangkok, with case studies and recommendations. 2004.
• Tuberculosis Control Programming for PVOs: Facilitator's Manual
• WHO 2005 Global TB Control Report
• CORE Case Study: Integrating TB and HIV Care in Mozambique: Lessons from an HIV Clinic in Beira
• CORE Case Study: Implementation of a National TB Control Program in Minority Communities: Accomplishments and Challenges from Kosovo
• CORE Case Study: Tuberculosis Control in Karaganda Prison through DOTS: Lessons from Kazakhstan
• CORE Case Study: Using Incentives to Improve Tuberculosis Treatment Results: Lessons from Tajikistan
• WHO Compendium of Indicators for Monitoring and Evaluating National TB Programs

For additional resources, see Child Health + Development database.

Working Group Meetings and Reports

• Elluminate Recording: Access and Work with Marginalized Populations - Alka Dev of Doctors of the World - 9/24/08 (Note: Your computer must be Elluminate Ready to view this recording.)
• Powerpoint Presentation: Practical TB Infection Control for Community-based TB Programs Author: Kevin Fennelly, MD, MPH, of New Jersey Medical School - June 11, 2008
• Elluminate Recording: Practical TB Infection Control for Community-based TB Programs Author: Kevin Fennelly, MD, MPH, of New Jersey Medical School - June 11, 2008 (Note: Your computer must be Elluminate Ready to view this recording.)
• Powerpoint Presentation: Innovative community-based TB program implemented by Catholic Relief Services in the Philippines. Presenters: Ms. Mila Lasquety, Health Program Manager, and Ms. Melindi Malang, CRS Behavior Change Specialist. - April 10, 2008
• IUATLD: "The Union" Annual Conference, Cape Town, South Africa. Theme: Confronting the Challenges of HIV & MDR in TB Prevention and Care - 8-12 November 2007
• Elluminate Recording: TB Working Group On-Line Meeting 9/5/07 (Note: Your computer must be Elluminate Ready to view this recording.)
• Lessons Learned Exchange: TB Programming from the Community-Based Perspective - February 5-6, 2007
• Union World Conference on Lung Health, Paris, November 1-4, 2006
• CORE Asia/Near East Regional TB Course: TB Control Programming for PVO Managers, Chennai, India (February 2006)
• Programming for HIV and TB Co-Infection (December 2004)
• Second Stop TB Partners Forum (March 2004)
• How Not to Program for TB: Mistakes and Lessons from the Field (October 2003)
• USAID: Expanded Response to TB (September 2003)
• Stop TB Working Group & IUATLD Conference (November 2003)
• Opportunities for TB Collaboration (CORE Workshop/February 2003)

Working Group Toolbox

• Working Group Member List

Useful Links

• TB Virtual Resource Center This site offers articles, manuals, and technical resources for program planning; serves as a gateway to other useful websites; and directs you to information on a wide variety of technical and programmatic issues.
• CARE's DOTS Tuberculosis E-Training Course
• EurasiaHealth TB Knowledge Network
• Global Plan to Stop TB 2006-2015
• Stop TB Partnership
• WHO TB Home Page
• USAID TB programs

Photo: Doctors of the World