|
The Union offers technical assistance in tuberculosis control and prevention to governments, associations and professional groups. Services are provided at the request of governments, partnering organisations or agencies in support of the DOTS strategy/Stop TB strategy.
The five components of the DOTS strategy are:
- Sustained government commitment to increase human and financial resources
- Case detection by sputum smear microscopy
- Standardised regimens treatment with proper case management and Directly Observed Treatment (DOT) when needed
- Regular uninterrupted supplies of essential TB drugs
- Standardised recording and reporting.
The Stop TB Strategy, based on the DOTS strategy, also aims to:
- Address TB-HIV, MDR-TB and other challenges
- Contribute to health system strengthening
- Engage all care providers
- Empower people with tuberculosis and communities
- Enable and promote research.
Three levels of technical assistance are offered:
- Intensive - in which The Union provides long term and regular support
- Other technical assistance - which is limited to specific, usually short-term, tasks
- Other related activities.
Intensive technical assistance
Intensive technical assistance is offered within the framework of promoting national autonomy to enable countries to reach their respective goals and targets as outlined within the Stop TB Strategy. Increasing case detection, improving treatment rates, developing human resources, following international guidelines, implementing global strategies are among the interventions offered by Union technical consultants. The Union Tuberculosis Control and Prevention Department now offers intensive technical assistance to Benin, Burkina Faso, Cameroon, Côte d’Ivoire, Democratie Republic of Congo, Ecuador, Madagascar, Sudan, Togo, Uganda, El Salvador, Dominican Republic and Jordan.
Other technical assistance
This assistance is limited to short term interventions. In 2008, Union consultants intervened in Kenya, Ecuador, Sudan, Paraguay, Mozambique, Viet Nam, Tanzania, Algeria, Brazil, The Philippines, , El Salvador, Peru, Dominican Republic, Guinea, China, Bolivia, Nepal, Mexico, the Netherlands, Pakistan Switzerland, Myanmar, Thailand, Colombia, Eritrea, Tanzania, Indonesia, Rwanda, Uganda, Mongolia, Afghanistan, South Africa, Laos, Tunisia, Peru, Syria, Lebenon, Honduras, Nicaragua.
Short-term interventions include short field visits, providing assistance to National Tuberculosis programmes (NTPS), implementing training programmes, conducting laboratory system assessments, completing drug procurements and ensuring logistics and deliveries.
Other related activities
Union technical consultants also participate in advisory committees, working groups and operational research.
Union consultants attend WHO regional meetings; serve as members of the Global Drug Facility, the Green Light Committee, the WHO EMRO Technical Advisory Committee, the WHO AMRO Technical Advisory Committee and the KNCV International Advisory Board; and participate in meetings on health strategies in Europe. |
Tuberculosis 
