HOPE Organizes Workshop in Kazakhstan on Improving TB Control

Project HOPE recently organized a workshop in Kazakhstan on how to expand cooperation with non-governmental organizations on efforts to improve Tuberculosis control in the country. Kazakhstan has one of the highest TB burdens in the Eurasian Region and has the highest drug-resistant TB burden in the world.

Representatives of the National Research Center for TB and Pulmonology of the Ministry of Health of the Republic of Kazakhstan (NRC), regional health departments, chief doctors of regional TB dispensaries, and representatives of international and public organizations, among others, took part.

During the workshop, participants discussed how to develop joint approaches to increase the involvement of civil society and shared examples of successful experiences of involving local NGOs. The workshop also featured discussions about the development of a special guide on engaging of NGOs in the fight against TB in the Republic of Kazakhstan.

“Over the past 10 years, as the head of TB services in the region, I have never met with representatives of NGOs” Zh. Sagiyev, Head of the Atyrau Regional TB Dispensary said after the workshop. “Frankly, I did not even imagine how they could be involved in the implementation of the TB program, and what benefits they could bring. Thanks to this workshop, I have realized the important role that civil society plays in the detection, treatment, and prevention of TB, and have also learned that we have NGOs in Kazakhstan who want to contribute to the fight against TB. For myself, I have concluded that NGOs should be our full partners, and that only together can we defeat Tuberculosis!”

The event was organized within the framework of HOPE’s “Addressing Cross-border TB Control among Migrants” project. This project is implemented with a grant from the Global Fund to Fight AIDS, Tuberculosis and Malaria jointly with the NRC, and the TB Europe Coalition under the TB Regional Eastern Europe and Central Asia Project (TB-REP).