Annual Report: Challenge TB - BURMA Year 2 (October 1, 2015 – September 30, 2016)

The project focuses on strengthening TB Prevention and Treatment efforts by addressing three areas: reaching the hard to reach, strengthening the TB diagnostic network, and strengthening the National TB Programme (NTP) in analysis of, and strategic planning for, intervention strategies. In 2015, Burma was listed as one of the new High Burden Countries for TB, TB/HIV, and MDR-TB. The country has a MOHS-led TB control and prevention system, primarily coordinated by the National TB Programme under the Director of Disease Control. There are 47 district TB teams in 70 districts, and 119 township TB teams out of a total of 330 townships in Burma. Diagnosis of TB is primarily based on direct sputum smear microscopy, with 3 culture facilities in Burma and 52 GeneXpert machines installed and used across the country. TB case finding is done mainly by the NTP with support from local and international NGOs funded through the Global Fund and the Three Millennium Development Goal Fund. In 2015, 140,700 TB cases were notified, with 79.3% identified through NTP activities and 20.7% through partner-led TB case finding. Public-public or Public-private Mix (PPM) activities were implemented at 24 public hospitals, with 2443 general practitioners registered under PPM-DOTS. By the end of 2015, Burma scaled-up MDR-TB diagnosis and treatment to 108 townships, with 2793 cases notified and 2207 cases put on MDR-TB treatment. The treatment success rate for drug-sensitive TB was 85% in 2015, and 83% for those in MDR-TB treatment in the same year (2013 cohort). CTB-Burma works to expand the diagnosis of TB and MDR-TB throughout the country, maintain high treatment success rates throughout Burma, and increase treatment success rates in areas where treatment success rates are currently low. The project provides technical assistance to the NTP and TB stakeholders in APA2, with a focus on expanding the diagnosis of TB and MDR-TB, maintaining high treatment success rates, and increasing treatment success rates in areas where treatment success rates are currently low. In order to rapidly reduce TB transmission in the country and further reduce the epidemic, CTB-Burma focuses on strengthening TB Prevention and Treatment efforts by addressing three areas: reaching the hard to reach, strengthening the TB diagnostic network, and strengthening the NTP in analysis of, and strategic planning for, intervention strategies. The project aims to enroll patients into TB prevention and care, and to expand the diagnosis of TB and MDR-TB throughout the country. CTB-Burma works closely with the NTP and TB stakeholders to achieve these goals, with a focus on technical assistance and capacity building. The project's overarching focus is to actively find and effectively treat missing TB cases, with a particular emphasis on reaching the hard to reach populations. CTB-Burma works to strengthen the TB diagnostic network, including the expansion of GeneXpert machines and the establishment of culture facilities. The project also focuses on strengthening the NTP in analysis of, and strategic planning for, intervention strategies, including the development of a National TB Strategic Plan. In addition to its technical assistance and capacity building activities, CTB-Burma also works to increase treatment success rates in areas where treatment success rates are currently low. The project provides support to the NTP and TB stakeholders to improve treatment outcomes, including the implementation of PPM activities and the expansion of MDR-TB diagnosis and treatment. By working closely with the NTP and TB stakeholders, CTB-Burma aims to achieve its goals and contribute to the reduction of TB transmission in Burma.