Project HOPE: Accelerating Toward TB Elimination

Project HOPE joined more than 2,000 TB professionals from around the world representing more than 100 countries at the 48^th Union World Conference on Lung Health, this month in Guadalajara, Mexico. The four-day scientific program included numerous symposiums and over 800 scientific abstracts presented by global experts addressing every aspect of TB advocacy and research.

Under the banner of the conference theme, Accelerating Toward Elimination, the meeting featured studies that shine a light on scientific innovation, technologies that have the potential to transform TB diagnosis and treatment, ongoing work around active case finding and efficacy studies around new drugs.

“It was an honor for Project HOPE to showcase our work at the conference and see other amazing advancements within the global TB community, including new tools and better approaches to combatting TB at the country level.  Also, interim results on the world’s first randomized STREAM clinical trial on multi-drug resistant regimens were especially well received by all,” said Alex Trusov, Senior Director of Project HOPE’s TB Portfolio.

Project HOPE’s conference contributions included the following:

QMS implementation in the TB laboratory network in Uzbekistan: Phase I

• A comparison of the baseline score and the score after one year of implementation showed improvement in the overall QMS score at all 15 laboratories.

How can we increase the access of migrants to TB diagnosis and treatment in Kazakhstan?

• In Kazakhstan, one of the world’s highest MDR-TB burden countries, the large influx of labor migrants lacked access to TB services due to lack of information and legal, financial and language barriers. In 2014, Project HOPE began a GFATM-funded program in 7 pilot sites.

The role of TB field promoters in TB response in three regions of Namibia: Oshana, Oshikoto and Kavango

• In 2007, Namibia had the 5^th highest incidence of TB. The lack of a community-based approach was identified as a gap by the National TB and Leprosy Program.

Innovations in Kyrgyzstan: TB sputum transport solutions

• This innovative private transport model makes transportation of biological samples safer and helps to assure universal access to TB lab services at the primary health care level.

Resistance patterns of rifampicin resistant strains of M. tuberculosis isolated in Tajikistan

• This study aimed to analyze resistance patterns of strains isolated from new and previously treated TB patients and provide practical recommendations for accelerating diagnostic procedures and effective use of available diagnostic capacity.

Meanwhile, Project HOPE in Kazakhstan has been awarded the Stop TB Partnership World TB Day Prize 2017 for its active participation and outstanding events to commemorate the day.

For more than 25 years Project HOPE has implemented infectious disease programs that support the prevention, management and control of diseases, specifically targeting the needs of the countries and communities in which we work. Project HOPE implements TB prevention, control and treatment programs that also address multidrug resistant tuberculosis (MDR TB) and TB/HIV co-infection. HOPE’s approach to TB management focuses on strengthening health systems by improving the skills and knowledge of health professionals and upgrading laboratory services and equipment. Our TB programs are designed in support of the World Health Organization’s Stop TB Strategy recommendations.

About Project HOPE

Founded in 1958, Project HOPE is a leader in global health development and emergency relief programs. An international nonprofit organization, we save lives and improve health, especially among women and children. We accomplish our mission by improving the knowledge, abilities and tools of the health workforce to deliver high quality health services to communities in need. With programs in over 30 countries, we work at the epicenter of today’s greatest health challenges including infectious and chronic diseases, disasters and health crises, maternal, neonatal and child health and the policies that impact how health care is delivered. Learn more at www.projecthope.org and follow us on Twitter @projecthopeorg