Tuberculosis Working Group
Vision: The TB Working Group enhances NGO capacity to design and implement quality TB programs.
2008 Working Group Highlights
The TB working group unveiled two major publications that contribute to the knowledge base of how community-based strategies can be integrated into TB prevention and control activities. The first publication, The Expansion of Community-Based Tuberculosis Programming: Critical Program Design Issues for New Partners outlines nine project-design considerations for those seeking to integrate TB activities into existing community based activities.
The TB working group launched an Elluminate series based on the nine lessons learned, which will continue in 2009. Chapters covered in 2008 included:
- Challenge 1, Safety First: Prevent Infection of NGO Staff, Volunteers and Others
- Challenge 6: Work with Marginalized Populations
- Challenge 4: Link TB and HIV/AIDS Programs
The second publication, Partnering with Grandmothers and Healers to Eliminate the "Disease of Dust" in Senegal: A Case Study in Community-Based Tuberculosis Control, outlines CORE member Christian Children's Fund activities in Senegal to integrate TB prevention into existing community activities.
Working group members participated in and exhibited at the 39th Union World Conference on Lung Health of the International Union Against Tuberculosis and Lung Disease (IUATLD), held in November 2008 in Paris.
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.
This year, TB Working Group co-chair Elena McEwan of CRS contributed to the development of the STOP TB publication, Community involvement in tuberculosis care and prevention: Towards partnerships for health, which provides guiding principles for WHO Member States to promote the involvement of people with tuberculosis (TB) and the community in TB care and prevention.
The TB Working Group members provided several technical updates. Topics this year included: control of tuberculosis through community-based DOTS in the State of West Bengal; and lessons of community mobilization activities for integrated TB programming from Catholic Relief Services in the Philippines.
Working Group Tools/Resources
For additional resources, see Child Health + Development database.
Working Group Meetings and Reports
- Challenge7: Improve Drug Treatment Adherence Through Patient Support - March 4, 2009
Presenter: Martha Benezet, MCDI
Martha Benezet joined the session from South Africa to discuss MCDI's innovative and effective Facility-Patient Liaison program
- Challenge 4: Linking TB and HIV/AIDS Programs - December 18, 2008
Presenter: Kayt Erhdahl, Project HOPE
Project HOPE is currently implementing a Child Survival TB Project in Malawi. This project is focused on improving TB and TB/HIV treatment outcomes and increasing case finding through capacity building for health care providers and involvement of groups in local communities.
Kayt Erdahl will share experiences from the TB/HIV project in these focus areas and in patient case management, drug management, infection control, nutrition and collaboration between TB and HIV services.
- IUATLD Meeting Report-"The Union" - October 16-20, 2008
- Overviews of Child Survival Health Grants Program TB Grants that CORE Group members are currently implementing--includes a brief description, outcomes, constraints and lessons learned:
- 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)
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