The Drum Beat 189 - Tuberculosis
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Today is World TB Day 2003
The theme for World TB Day 2003 is "People with TB" and the slogan is "DOTS cured me - It will cure you too". Both of these stress the need to address People with TB by involving them as advocates for Global TB control.
"TB continues to kill approximately two million people each year world-wide. The DOTS treatment strategy cures patients, saves lives, prevents the spread of drug resistance and reduces disease transmission. Yet, according to WHO estimates based on 2001 data, only 30% of active TB cases are being diagnosed and treated under DOTS programs. The global targets of 70% case detection and 85% cure rates for those detected must be reached by 2005 in order to halve TB prevalence and deaths by 2010. Accelerating case detection is therefore critical. World TB Day can play a crucial role in increasing the awareness of various stakeholders on the symptoms, diagnosis and treatment of TB, and the importance of effective TB control. It also has the potential to significantly increase case detection rates through education, awareness-building and social mobilisation." - The STOP TB Partnership.
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COMMUNICATION CASE STUDIES
1. Addressing HIV-Related Stigma and Resulting Discrimination in Africa - Ethiopia, Tanzania, and Zambia
The International Center for Research on Women is working to investigate the causes, manifestations, and consequences of HIV/AIDS-related stigma and resulting discriminatory acts in Ethiopia, Tanzania, and Zambia. Zambia's project will involve interviewing households twice per month for four months to develop an understanding of both the relationship between stigma related to tuberculosis and HIV/AIDS and the impact of such stigma on children.
Contact Laura Nyblade [email protected]
2. The PHRI/Soros TB Programme - Russia
A programme started in 1997 to establish sustainable TB control systems in several Russian regions for civilian & prison populations. The programme included training of Russian health care professionals to manage TB control.
3. MERLIN/PHRI/WHO's Joint DOTS-Plus Pilot Project - Russia
An enhanced TB programme which treats drug resistant TB by adding second line drugs to the basic DOTS approach. Person to person contact comes with the high level of medical management necessary to administer the drugs and keep on top of inevitable side effects in the 2 year programme.
4. Health a Key to Prosperity - Success Stories in Developing Countries - by Shelia Davey
"Over a million lives have been spared from TB in the past decade due to the success of TB control efforts in countries such as China, India, Nepal, and Peru...."
5. Community Contribution to TB Care: A Latin American Perspective - by Ernesto Jaramillo
Describes the results of a literature search on community-based tuberculosis care in Latin America, and of field visits to selected community-based TB care projects in Bolivia and Colombia.
6. TB Do or Die: Journalists take a close look at how Asian countries are fighting tuberculosis - editorial co-ordinators: Kunda Dixit, Aruni John & Ruchira Gupta
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Has the word "AIDS", with the help of communicators, become too associated with stigma and finality? Does the all-encompassing term HIV convey hope and possibility? With fewer people developing the clinical manifestations of AIDS due to the use of ARV drugs, will the word "AIDS" still be adequate for care efforts? Isn't the existence of two words an unnecessary complication? Shouldn't we refocus on preventing the virus transmission? All of which leads to the following question...
Do you agree that communicators should increasingly make reference to HIV instead of AIDS or HIV/AIDS in their work?
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ADVOCACY
7. The Massive Effort Campaign - Global
Established in Sept 2001, this is a global movement that seeks to reduce the incidence of diseases like AIDS, tuberculosis, and malaria among poor people. The campaign's goal is to advocate for and communicate best practices to stimulate social and political change. The campaign supports networks of existing organisations by providing strategic information, best practices, prototype messages, opportunities for collaboration and co-ordination. A website facilitates this exchange of information.
Contact [email protected]
8. Working Toward Greater Equity in the Fight Against HIV/AIDS, Malaria & Tuberculosis - Statement by Participants in a Nov 2001 Bellagio Workshop
"Looking ahead, preparing the ground now for more equitable distribution and access to health care services will help to ensure that new and lower cost technologies, eg: HIV/AIDS, malaria and TB vaccines, drugs and microbicides, attenuate rather than accentuate disparities..."
9. TB Advocacy - A Practical Guide
Outlines 4 basic steps that are essential for an effective advocacy initiative for tuberculosis (TB). These steps are: documenting the situation, packaging the message, working with the media and mobilising others.
RESEARCH & DISCUSSION
10. Survey of Health Professionals to Gauge Knowledge of TB & DOTS - India
Health and Development Initiative-India conducted a rapid survey (August 2001) to gauge the awareness level of health professionals in the Punjab State of India about DOTS and to gain an insight into the process they follow while treating TB patients. 33 randomly selected health professionals drawn from different sections of service delivery were questioned.
11. Planning a Role for Private Practitioners in TB Control: Obstacles and Opportunities
In 2001, Health and Development Initiative-India conducted personal interviews with 25 private practitioners of Amritsar District (population 3.2 million) of Punjab State of India, who treat patients of Tuberculosis on regular basis. The objectives of these interviews were to assess the load of TB patients in their practice settings, determine their current level of involvement with National TB Control Program (NTP) and explore the avenues of possible communication and collaboration with them.
12. Barriers to TB Control: Summary of Discussions of the STOP-TB Virtual Forum on the subject of: Progress made since the Amsterdam Declaration
A summary of discussions from the autumn of 2001. Outlines some of the barriers being faced and the potential solutions to them.
13. Planning for TB Control into the Future: Summary of Discussions of the STOP-TB Virtual Forum on the subject of: Progress made since the Amsterdam Declaration
A summary of discussions from the autumn of 2001. Outlines some of the lessons shared as to what has proven successful in overcoming barriers and suggestions given as to what approaches should be taken in the future to tackle TB.
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DB Classifieds - Training, Consultants, Materials, Events (TCME) will be issued again on April 2.
Please contact Jennifer Savidge to post your courses, workshops, publications, conferences, and professional services - [email protected]
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OTHER RESOURCES
14. World TB Day 2002 Highlights Report
The theme for 2002 was "Stop TB, fight poverty", drawing attention to the link between TB and other infectious diseases, such as HIV/AIDS and poverty. This report is based on voluntary feedback from WHO country offices, global partners to Stop TB, NGOs and submissions to the Internet. The purpose of this report is to share the results of the advocacy and education campaigns for World TB Day 2002.
15. The Global Plan to Stop TB
This document describes the action and resources needed over the next five years to expand, adapt, and improve the effort in order to meet the 2005 global targets and set the world on the road to eliminating TB. The Global Plan incorporates contributions from over 150 experts in TB control, public health, and development around the world.
16. Tuberculosis - Frequently Asked Questions
Written in Hindi, this booklet provides information about TB, how TB is spread, diagnosed and treated. Questions related to Latent Tuberculosis Infection (LTBI), BCG vaccination and TB in HIV positive persons are also discussed. It also covers the WHO approved methodology of TB control, DOTS and what role TB patients can play in control of the disease.
17. Frequently Asked Questions about the 4-drug Fixed-dose Combination Tablet Recommended by the WHO for Treating Tuberculosis
18. Quality Improvement for TB Case Management: An Online Course
The course includes guidelines, case-based scenarios, resources and forms that can be modified for the learner’s worksite.
19. Pediatric Tuberculosis: A Video Guide to Diagnosis and Treatment
This 37-minute video and guidebook are designed to help clinicians evaluate, treat, and monitor compliance of children.
An Audiotape/CD is also available.
NETWORKING & NEWS
20. Global Fund Observer (GFO)
An e-newsletter and related discussion forum that provides an independent platform for news, analysis and commentary about the Global Fund to Fight AIDS, Tuberculosis and Malaria. To subscribe to the GFO Newsletter, send an email to [email protected] Subject line and text can be left blank. To subscribe to the GFO Discussion Forum, send an email to [email protected] Again, subject line and text can be left blank.
21. Stop TB Communiqué
An e-newsletter issued monthly to share information and updates on progress in the global partnership movement to stop tuberculosis.
Contact: [email protected]
22. TB News from India
A bi-monthly e-newsletter containing tuberculosis & HIV/AIDS related news from India.
23. TB-Update - Division of TB Elimination, CDC Weekly Update
Provides synopses of key scientific articles and lay media reports on tuberculosis.
24. TB/HIV Research Laboratory of Brown University, USA
25. STOP TB Initiative
26. The Global Fund to Fight AIDS, Tuberculosis & Malaria
27. Global Alliance for TB Drug Development
28. WHO Report 2002: Global Tuberculosis Control
29. TB Case Studies - Online Course from the Francis J. Curry National Tuberculosis Centre
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