Description
The World Health Organisation stated that tuberculosis (TB) represents a major public threat in Romania. The project addresses this issue by improving diagnosis, treatment and essential prevention services with a focus on epidemiologically important populations (such as the patients with multidrug-resistant tuberculosis) as well as on vulnerable groups (such as the TB patients living in poor rural communities, including Roma persons). The main expected results of the project are: 10,000 TB patients will benefit from rapid testing for drug-resistant tuberculosis, 1,000 patients diagnosed with multidrug-resistant TB will benefit from a full course treatment, 70 Roma mediators and community nurses from 50 poor rural communities will be trained in Directly observed treatment (DOT) and TB education and prevention, 10,000 people belonging to poor rural populations, including Roma persons, will benefit from improved knowledge regarding TB transmission, prevention, symptoms, access to primary health care information, and 600 staff of the National TB network countrywide will benefit from targeted training courses in drug management, TB infection control and surveillance. The project partner, LHL International, will be involved in providing information about TB to patients, the general population and vulnerable groups.
Summary of project results
Romania has one of the world's largest populations of TB patients and approx. 20,000 new cases are diagnosed every year, from which about 1000 cases are patients infected with MDR-TB. The World Health Organization stated that tuberculosis (TB) represents a major public threat in Romania. The project had addresses this issue by improving diagnosis, treatment and essential prevention services with a focus on epidemiologically important populations (such as the patients with multidrug-resistant tuberculosis) as well as on vulnerable groups (such as the TB patients living in poor rural communities, including Roma persons). The main results of the project are: 62203 patients tested for TB by rapid methods, 1002 patients with MDR-TB receive full course treatment, 1148 persons received DOT support, 309 community nurses and Roma mediators were trained on TB infection and project methodology, 16345 persons received information about TB, 687 staff of TB network countrywide were trained in drug management, TB infection control and surveillance, 4 training sessions with the purpose of building capacity for the NTP Central Coordination Unit were organized, the national electronic TB programme database is upgraded 100%, the project information and results were disseminated to 450 stakeholders, 10 laboratories were already equipped with equipment for TB rapid testing, 2128 TB patients received incentives in order to maintain treatment adherence and to avoid treatment interruptions, 2000 UV lamps were purchased and it will be delivered in the next period, 1427 persons were trained in TB infection control, the TOT courses for TB infection took place in November 2015, 120000 IEC materials are finalized and available, 4 press conferences organized. For additional information please visit
http://control-tb.marius-nasta.ro/.The project has contributed significantly to the output indicators of the Public Health Initiatives programme. All the output indicators have been achieved 100% or more than 100%. The sustainability of the project will be ensured by the Romanian Government and the Ministry of Health, which has already reconfirmed its commitment to TB control, supporting the Multidrug-resistant and Extremely Resilient TB Action Plan for Combating TB in the WHO European Region 2011-2015. Also, the project will be continued by another project financed within European Public Health Challenges Programme- EEA Grants 2014-2021.
Summary of bilateral results
Within this project, LHL International was involved under work package 13 Providing information about TB to patients, the general population and vulnerable groups. Within this activity, LHL International has trained the professionals for improving communication skills in relation with patients (the were 7 training sessions organized with 170 participants), but also has developed and distributed information materials to the general population (100,000 flyers and 20,000 brochures). The feedback of the activity was positive since it was integrated with all other project work packages. The PP has beneficiated by the experience of Norwegian partner due to the fact that within the project were transferred all good practices and knowledge in the TB area. The partnership was a success and will be continued within the new project on TB financed within European Public Health Challenges Programme- EEA Grants 2014-2021.