Stories from the Field - May 2024

We are pleased to share the latest updates from our Stop TB Country-Level Partnership Platforms. Please see below highlights from our partners.

 

Stop TB Partnership Cambodia

STB Partnership Cambodia participated in the event titled Communities in Pandemic Preparedness and Responses through Community Engagement and Community-Led Monitoring (COPPER) Project Inception Meeting, which was held from May 14-17, 2024, in Johannesburg, South Africa, which jointly organized by the International Treatment Preparedness Coalition (ITPC) and the Global Fund to Fight against AIDS, Tuberculosis, and Malaria.

 

 

Stop TB Partnership Congo (DRC)

An Orientation mission was organized by STB Congo and held between 5-13 May 2024, at Kananga, Kasai central province in Congo DRC. This mission aimed, among other things: to present the project to the Provincial Coordination, the provincial health division, and the health zone to define the mapping of Target Testing and Treatment Centers and to raise awareness among different stakeholders about the positive impact of the CLM_OneimpactTB approach

 

 

 

Stop TB Partnership Ghana

Stop TB Partnership Ghana organized a workshop titled  ‘’A Resilient and Sustainable Systems for Health (RSSH)’’ at the secretariat of the CCM. The discussion was based on the implementation progress of the RSSH grant in Ghana. This follows the addition of the RSSH grant to the Covid-19 Oversight Committee by the CCM.

 

 

 

Stop TB Partnership Indonesia

STB Partnership Indonesia continues to strive to eradicate tuberculosis through cross-sector partnerships and sees the opportunity of the UNHLM meeting this time to strengthen efforts to tackle Drug-Resistant Tuberculosis (TBC-RO) through the Antimicrobial Resistance agenda at the United Nations Summit Opinion Hearing. Also, the Regional Government of Karawang Region committed to establishing the abolition of TB, now the Regional Government of Bogor City also strengthened its commitment by agreeing on a reference line with all fasces providers starting from government to private on the eradication of TB in Indonesia.

 

 

 

Sop TB Partnership Tajikistan

There was an Increase in visibility through social media on eradicating TB by STB Partnership Tajikistan TB Ambassadors and podcast show as seen in the below link for more details: https://www.facebook.com/reel/816005407095096. There were also news updates about the new WHO and ILO report which launched new guidance on social protection for people affected by TB. The guide includes approaches to expanding the reach, improving the quality and effectiveness of existing social protection programs for people affected by TB, and developing, if necessary, specific approaches to ensuring social protection benefits fully meet the needs of people affected by TB.

 

Stop TB Partnership Kenya

Kenya's health CSOs sound alarm on childhood vaccine shortages. Rotavirus, polio, TB, measles, and rubella vaccines are at risk due to budget cuts as they call for urgent action. STB Partnership Kenya was very active on social media highlighting facts and myths about TB to raise awareness among the public.

 

 

Stop TB Partnership Kazakhstan

On May 23, 2024, PU “KAPh” organized training for Mass Media representatives on the theme “Coverage of topical issues and achievements in decreasing the TB burden in the Republic of Kazakhstan” in Strengthening the TB response through multi-stakeholder partnerships” and development of the National “Stop TB in Kazakhstan” Partnership in Almaty city. Until May 31, 2024, inclusively, a contest “Reading about TB” was held within the challenge “Together we will defeat tuberculosis”, as participants published over 60 on social media thus increasing visibility. During the period from April to May, the decisions about the allocation of grants for NGOs in 6 more regions excluding the previous 9 in the first quarter of 2024 of 63 million tenge ($141 573) were made.

Stop TB Partnership Malawi

Her Excellency Madam Monica Chakwera, the First Lady of the Republic of Malawi was present in Geneva as a Global Champion in the fight against TB, invited by the Stop TB partnership to preside over two events under the themes: "Breaking Barriers and Using Digital Technology for Early Detection of Disease: Lessons from Tuberculosis Screening" and "Translating High-Level Commitments into Action as Africa Delivering Towards Ending TB by 2030" on the sidelines of the World Health Assembly.

 

Stop TB Partnership Mozambique

On 31st May 2024, Stop TB Partnership Mozambique conducted its second General Assembly to provide project progress update activities and approval and admission of new Stop TB members. Stop TB received 51 candidates and 21 approved as new Stop TB Mozambique members, being 14 individuals and 7 organizations. Stop TB Partnership grantees (AMIMO, ADPP, Movimento Contra Tuberculose) were approved and they are now Stop TB Mozambique members.

 

 

Stop TB Partnership Nigeria

There was the 2nd National TB Testing Week for Children in Nigeria from 22nd May 12th of June. An inaugural event led to a significant increase in the number of diagnosed TB cases among children and substantial rise in the overall TB case notification for 2023. Her Excellency Senator Oluremi Tinubu, the First Lady of the Federal Republic of Nigeria and also a Global and National Stop TB Champion says it´s possible to put in motino actions to find, diagnose and treat all people with TB if we can make ending this disease an entire society movement and celebrates the efforts done by all African doctors, nurses, health workers, and community workers to end TB on Africa Day, 2024.

 

 

Stop TB Partnership Pakistan

On the 7th and 8th of May, 2024 Dopasi Foundation partnered with Active Help Organization to arrange a Two-day Training Seminar for trainers on One Impact. The objectives of this training pertained to the imparting of a comprehensive understanding of One Impact, the CLM (community-led monitoring) framework and its components - upon the trainers. As well as the capacity building of the participants in that they may be able to effectively implement and roll out the One Impact and CLM framework.

 

 

 

Stop TB Partnership Philippines

A courtesy visit to Congressman Jude Acidre, Congressman Ciriaco Gato, and Congressman Mike Tan was made through the support of Stop TB Partnership to present the Community Version of the Comprehensive Tuberculosis Elimination Plan Act or RA 10767, which aims to amend the Philippine TB Law. This version was created by gathering valuable recommendations from the TB-affected community through consultation meetings.

 

 

 

Stop TB Partnership Tanzania

In May 2024, the East, Central, and Southern Africa Health Community (ECSA Health Community) collaborated with the Ministry of Health through the National TB and Leprosy Program (MOH-NTLP) and organized a national Workshop with key TB in Mining stakeholders to strategize on the objectives to effectively respond for TB epidemics in Mines targeting small Miners and Artisans groups which are mostly affected. The Tanzania Stop TB partnership secretariat conducted MAF-TB Dialogues through the government broadcasting radio to raise awareness at the national level on the need for increasing involvement of partners to combat the TB epidemic. Tanzania STP worked with NTLP and Prime Minister’s Office (PMO) to Mobilize fund from AMREF Tanzania for MAF-TB, the fund was used to convene orientation meetings with MAF-TB Focal Persons from all 26 Ministries and ensure that all Ministries in the country are accountable for their Actions committed during the launching MAF-TB Compact framework.

 

Stop TB Partnership Uganda

STB Partnership Uganda conducted a capacity-building workshop for the TB survivors and affected individuals on key social protection interventions which targeted participants from the three divisions of Kampala Capital City to provide the needed knowledge and skills among the affected populations. Also, a one-day dialogue meeting was held with the TB Parliamentary Caucus members, Celebrities, Journalists, and Focal Persons of the Multi-accountability Framework (MAF) Implementing Partners for National Dialogue on achieving the UNHLM Targets and Commitments. In addition, the USTP and Uganda Country Coordinating Mechanism (CCM) held a one-day constituency meeting in Soroti, the Eastern region of the country that targeted key TB stakeholders in the region and updated them on the current TB issues in their region and national TB Response. They also participated and supported campaigns and mobilization among the persons infected and affected by TB, over 1000pilgrims were screened for TB and awareness-raising and community engagement activities to commemorate the Uganda martyrs.

 

Stop TB Partnership Ukraine

On May 30, an online teleconference “Challenges and Prospects for NGOs in the Context of War, Reform of the Tuberculosis Service and Changes in the Content and Sources of Funding for Social Services in the Field of Tuberculosis” was held. At the event, representatives of NGOs, the Center for Public Health of Ukraine, and TB institutions shared their experiences on ways to overcome the challenges of the war, the possible impact of the TB service reform process on the work of NGOs, and tools for using new opportunities to provide services to people with TB

 

Stop TB Partnership Zimbabwe

The Stop TB Partnership Zimbabwe (STPZ) supported the Multi-Sectoral Accountability Framework for TB (MAF-TB) Baseline Assessment findings validation and action plan development meetings. The partnership hosted three regional post-UNHLM engagement meetings to review the outcomes, identify next steps, and ensure that the momentum and commitments generated during the 2023 UNHLM were translated into concrete actions and monitored at the national level. Stop TB Partnership Zimbabwe (STPZ) also supported TB survivors during their monthly support groups meetings. The platform was used to build the capacity of TB survivors to effectively advocate and contribute to the TB response.    

 

 

From our side:

World Health Assembly in Geneva, Switzerland from 27 May – 1 June 2024. The theme of this year’s Health Assembly is: All for Health, Health for All. A meeting was held with various partners, Ngos, government, and private sectors all in attendance on breaking barriers using digital technology for early detection of disease: lessons from Tuberculosis screening. In addition to May events, we have launched a new partnership with GARD P to improve access to new antibiotics in low- and middle-income countries to boost efforts to combat TB and AMR. Finally, the Stop TB partnership participated in breaking the Guinness World Record for operating an X-ray machine at the highest altitude ever. The attempt took place at 5644m in Kala Pattar, on Mt Everest, on 16 May 2024. The initiative aimed at raising awareness and demonstrate the effectiveness of ultra-portable digital X-ray technology combined with artificial intelligence (AI) in diagnosing TB in remote and underserved areas