For more than 25 years, Project HOPE’s programs in Central Asia have improved health outcomes by training health care providers to address TB and HIV, delivering public health education, and responding in times of crisis. Throughout the region, we have:

• Increased health systems’ capacities to address tuberculosis (TB), HIV/AIDS, and maternal, neonatal and child health
• Strengthened laboratory systems through regional guidelines on quality management and rapid diagnostics
• Reduced HIV/TB co-infection among most at-risk populations
• Contributed to declines in TB mortality rates across the region

In Kazakhstan, HOPE is addressing cross-border TB, multidrug-resistant TB and TB/HIV co-infection among labor migrants. Program activities include conducting migrant-friendly outreach services and develop bilateral agreements for cross-border cooperation on TB control.

HOPE’s work in TB management has been recognized for its “Best Practices” in the area of Advocacy, Communication, and Social Mobilization by the World Health Organization (WHO). In addition, Project HOPE has published numerous articles in international journals and presented results of our work in Central Asia at the most renowned international conferences on TB.

Our History in Central Asia
Our work in Central Asia began in 1990, providing rehabilitation and orthopedic support following an earthquake. In 1993, Project HOPE began our decades-long effort in Central Asia to improve TB control through an early pilot of the direct observed therapy (DOT) strategy in Kazakhstan. In 1999, we began working in maternal and child health and later expanded into HIV prevention work with schoolchildren in Russia.

As a result of our success in TB since 1993, Project HOPE has received multiple grants from donors such as USAID and the Global Fund Against TB, AIDS, and Malaria to continue our work in TB. Over the years, our TB portfolio expanded to also address multidrug-resistant TB and TB/HIV co-infection, spanning across all five Central Asian Republics.

Our recently completed Regional TB Control Program (funded by USAID) sought to improve the health status of the people in Tajikistan and Uzbekistan by building the capacity of national TB control programs to provide more effective and more accessible TB diagnosis and treatment, which reduce the burden of TB and multi-drug resistant TB and the development of drug-resistant TB. The program focused on vulnerable populations and supported national TB prevention, care, and treatment programs in Tajikistan and Uzbekistan. It also contributed to the goals of the World Health Organization’s End TB Strategy and the U.S. Government’s Global Tuberculosis Strategy.