|
The GRANT AGREEMENT TO FINANCE THE PROGRAM: PROMOTING A STRATEGIC RESPONSE TO TB -- TREATMENT AND CARE FOR VULNERABLE POPULATIONS IN THE RUSSIAN FEDERATION for the period of 01.12.2007 – 30.11.2010 with a budget equivalent to US$ 40 million was signed on December 14, 2007.
On November 30, 2007, Phase 1 of the Program was completed. The Program is financed from a grant of the Global Fund to Fight AIDS, TB and Malaria.
During Phase 1, the Program was implemented to achieve the following key objectives:
- To improve early TB detection and treatment rates for low income and marginalized populations in the civilian sector
- To improve early detection and treatment rates for multi-drug resistant tuberculosis MDR-TB
- To improve early TB detection and treatment rates in the prison system
- To improve interagency cooperation in TB control
- To build capacity for TB prevention and care for people living with HIV/AIDS
The first two years of the Program yielded the following outputs:
The program provided training in:
- General management and logistics
- TB drug management
- TB treatment adherence stimulation
- TB treatment and monitoring
- MDR-TB treatment management, including infection control in MDR-TB departments
- TB control through primary health care facilities (the general health care network)
- Culture diagnostics and drug susceptibility tests
- Monitoring and evaluation
- HIV/TB co-infection prevention and treatment
Short-term training was completed by 9,946 health specialists and nurses from regional health facilities.
Vehicles, office equipment, laboratory equipment, medical equipment and consumables for microbiological tests were procured and delivered to 225 regional health facilities.
Renovation works were completed in microbiological labs of 45 health facilities.
HIV/TB units were established and equipped in 41 TB dispensaries.
Two training centres were set up to disseminate successful experience of TB control programs: one under the Oryol TB Dispensary, and the other under the Central TB Research Institute of the Russian Academy of Medical Sciences.
Retrofitting works were completed in MDR-TB departments under 9 health facilities.
The following new guidelines for specialists were published and disseminated:
- TB Control Short Course for General/Family Practitioners and District Therapists
- TB Control Short Course for Feldshers in Primary Health Care
- Guidelines for Physicians: TB Care for HIV-Infected Patients
- Summary of the Conference on TB in HIV-Infected Patients
- Training Manual on TB Control at the Rayon Level
- Training Module on Integrated TB/HIV Co-Infection Prevention and Treatment
- TB/HIV Epidemiologic Bulletin # 1
- TB/HIV Epidemiologic Bulletin # 2
- TB/HIV Epidemiologic Bulletin # 3
In 80 Russian regions, treatment adherence stimulation programs were implemented and covered over 40,000 patients.
In September 2007, the Global Fund evaluated the Program. The evaluation resulted into a positive opinion and decision to continue its funding during Phase 2 (01.12.07 – 30.11.10).
A key goal for 2008 - 2009 is to provide second-line drugs for 4,000 MDR-TB patients and to ensure effective treatment of these patients.
Also in 2008, the Program will:
- Procure and supply vehicles and office equipment for 31 health facilities;
- Procure and supply consumables for 188 culture labs;
- Implement TB treatment adherence stimulation programs for 45,000 patients;
- Deliver trainings for health specialists and nurses;
- Establish TB/HIV units in 50 health facilities.
|
