Activites

1. WHO EURO Region Inventory for MDR-TB Advocacy

The main goal of developing the inventory was to find key players active in MDR-TB advocacy and those who had the potential to do this kind of work in the future.

A comprehensive internet research was performed to identify target organizations and individuals (nearly 300) for a questionnaire which was produced in both English and Russian languages. The questionnaire was sent to the targets, and chased up where necessary for completion by telephone. The data was then collated to produce the inventory as a spread sheet detailing contact details, the level of MDR-TB advocacy taking place, how the organization is funded, and other partners worked with.

The exercise revealed a better picture of the MDR-TB related advocacy in the region also showing some MDR-TB advocacy taking place at sub-regional level. An additional and valuable outcome was the fact that these advocacy efforts were frequently disorganised and largely un-coordinated. This work has stimulated the development of inventories for TB, MDR-TB and HIV/TB co-infection advocacy initiated in each of the six WHO regions by the TB ACTION Group and funded by the Stop TB Partnership. This will eventually help to form the basis for membership of a proactive global coalition of TB advocates, activists and NGOs

2. Sub-Regional Community Advocacy Team in the Baltic States

The aim of this activity was to research the viability, and if possible to create the basis for a Sub-regional Community Advocacy Team for MDR-TB in Estonia, Latvia and Lithuania. Already relatively organized in terms of advocacy, the region was selected with the hope that the experience and expertise accumulated by the relevant organisations and partnerships in these countries can shared with neighbouring countries where it might be lacking. The work was carried out pro bono by Paul Thorn.

Each country was visited and meetings with NGOs and individuals who had been identified through the WHO EURO region inventory exercise took place to discover how enthusiastic they were about working together on MDR-TB advocacy, also showing that such Sub-regional Community Advocacy Teams had potential.

The outcome of this activity was agreement in principle for a Baltic States team on MDR-TB advocacy, and confirmed intention to assist in the development and advancement of advocacy in other Eastern European countries.

3. Stakeholders Meeting on Scaling up MDR-TB Care Delivery

The meeting was held on 11-12 November 2012 in Kuala Lumpur, Malaysia immediately prior to the 43rd Union World Conference on Lung Health. More than 140 participants attended the meeting representing leading global agencies, international technical and funding partners, research organizations, non-governmental agencies, country TB control programmes, patient communities and other key stakeholders working in partnership to address the challenges of MDR-TB care scale-up in affected countries.

4. 2nd Global GLC meeting, 28-29 February 2012

2nd Global GLC meeting took place on 28-29 February 2012 and discussed the following topics:

  • Availability of Second line anti-tuberculosis drugs
  • Improved access to Second line anti-tuberculosis drugs
  • Advocacy for MDR-TB management
  • "Totally Drug Resistant Tuberculosis"
  • Evaluation of the Global Framework
  • Global Fund indicators
  • gGLC membership.

Meeting report at http://www.who.int/tb/challenges/mdr/greenlightcommittee/en/index.html provides detailed proceedings, conclusions and recommendations.

5. 3rd Global GLC meeting, 17-19 October 2012

3rd Global GLC meeting took place on 17-19 October 2012 and discussed the following topics:

  • Report from the gGLC Secretariat
  • Report from rGLCs
  • Update on technical consultations, and new policies
  • Availability of second line anti TB drugs and Group 5 drugs
  • Treatment of patients with R-resistance
  • Update on "short" regimens, and WHO’s position and action
  • Moving Forwards on global support to scale-up of MDR-TB services and care.

Meeting report at http://www.who.int/tb/challenges/mdr/greenlightcommittee/en/index.html provides detailed proceedings, conclusions and recommendations.