The Stop TB Partnership’s Global Drug Facility (GDF) participated in a joint rGLC/GDF mission to Uzbekistan in December 2016. GDF worked closely with the NTP and partners to estimate the drug needs for 2017-2018. GDF facilitated discussions to develop a transition plan for the introduction of the new pediatric formulations. Based on the rGLC recommendations, GDF supported the NTP in developing an implementation plan for the shorter MDR-TB regimen, and new (Bedaquiline and Delamanid) and repurposed TB medicines for MDR and XDR-TB patients. GDF, in cooperation with partner organizations, also provided hands-on technical support to the NTP for the ongoing rollout of an early warning and quantification system using QuanTB.
In response to a request from the NTP and the KNCV Foundation Country office in Kazakhstan, the Stop TB Partnership’s GDF provided hands-on technical support for in-country quantification, forecasting and early warning system using QuanTB in December 2016. During the visit, the existing online TB information system was analyzed and it was agreed with the country team that it requires changes to allow adequate data collection, aggregation and analysis for quantification and for an early warning system. The latest version of QuanTB was introduced to national and regional representatives of the TB programme. GDF presented international requirements for reporting of adverse drug reactions, including a brief update on active drug safety monitoring (aDSM), during a workshop organized by the National TB program and Partners in Health on the scale-up of access to the new TB drugs in Kazakhstan. All above mentioned activities were performed in collaboration with the Principal Recipient of the Global Fund (GF), as the new GF grant is starting in January 2017 and will last for 3 years.