Eradicate TB FY18 Narrative (Apr-Sep 2018)

In Zambia, approximately 50-70% of TB patients are co-infected with HIV, highlighting the importance of testing all TB patients for HIV to initiate timely HIV treatment. Early diagnosis of HIV in TB patients, coupled with appropriate interventions, results in increased favorable TB outcomes, including treatment success rates, cure rates, and completion rates. During the semiannual reporting period of April to September 2018, ETB-supported facilities reported 5,381 new and relapse TB patients with a documented HIV status out of 5,632 total new and relapse registered TB cases, representing a 96% HIV testing rate. This achievement surpasses the set semi-annual target of 5,250. The breakdown of total new and relapse registered TB patients with a documented HIV status shows 1,817 known positive, 952 new HIV positive, and 2,612 tested HIV negative. For the annual performance from October 2017 to September 2018, ETB-supported facilities reported 9,667 new and relapse TB patients with a documented HIV status out of 10,651 total new and relapse registered TB cases, representing a 91% HIV testing rate. The breakdown of total new and relapse registered TB patients with a documented HIV status shows 3,367 known positive, 1,710 new HIV positive, and 4,590 tested HIV negative. ETB has employed various strategies to achieve these results, including continuous mentoring of TB and HIV staff, coordination between TB and HIV staff through joint district data review meetings, and implementation of robust data quality management strategies. Additionally, ETB has integrated district review meetings with data quality assessments, conducted routine Technical Supportive Supervision visits, and provided mentorship to diagnostic and high-volume treatment health facilities. TB/HIV on ART indicator tracks the number of TB cases with documented HIV positive status who started or continued ART during the reporting period. During the semiannual reporting period, 873 newly tested positive TB patients were started on ART treatment, representing 92% of the total number of newly tested positive. From the 1,817 already known positive TB patients, 1,740 continued ART, representing 96% of the total number of known positive TB patients. For the annual performance, 1,645 newly tested positive TB patients were started on ART treatment, representing 96% of the total number of newly tested positive. From the 3,367 already known positive TB patients, 2,999 continued ART, representing 89% of the total number of known positive TB patients. The overall ART coverage for TB patients was 94% during the semiannual reporting period and 91% for the annual performance. To achieve these results, the project supported facilities with training of health workers, technical support, and supervision, as well as mentoring exercises. The program will continue to document TB patients with known HIV status and work closely with HIV implementing partners to ensure that all TB/HIV co-infected patients are initiated on ART. Additionally, ETB has stationed two project staff in each of the six provinces to complement NTP's current efforts and recruited two district coordinators to support the two high-burden districts of Kitwe and Ndola in Copperbelt.