Quarterly Monitoring Report: Challenge TB - Ethiopia Year 2

The project, led by KNCV, was implemented in collaboration with the Ministry of Health (MOH) and other partners, including the World Health Organization (WHO) and Management Sciences for Health (MSH). The project's workplan for the period of October 2015 to September 2016 focused on several key objectives, including enabling environment, comprehensive diagnostics, and patient-centered care. One of the significant achievements of the project was the identification of key populations to target over its project period. The project team, in collaboration with the health office and prison administration, conducted a baseline assessment in 10 selected prison facilities in the Southern Nations, Nationalities, and Peoples' Region (SNNPR). The assessment provided valuable data that will guide the prioritization of intervention areas to address TB burden in prisons. The project also developed data quality improvement tools, including a data quality assurance tool (RDQA), which was pilot-tested and integrated into the supervision checklist. Additionally, the project provided technical support to the regional TB programs in SNNPR and Tigray to develop a data quality assurance tool. A three-day training course was conducted for 66 (F=30) M&E staff in both CTB regions to ensure quality data. The project made significant progress in addressing childhood TB burden in Ethiopia. The project team led and contributed to the development of a national childhood TB training curriculum, job aid, and monitoring tools. The training material was pretested, and trainers from all regional health bureaus were trained on the material in three rounds. This is expected to improve care and prevention activities on childhood TB in the country. The project also supported the implementation of prison TB care in CTB-supported regions. The project team conducted an assessment of prison TB service in selected areas of CTB-supported regions, developed an action plan, and implemented support for IEC/BCC activities, including community awareness, engagement, and stigma reduction activities. The project also supported the strengthening of the TB control board that enables active case finding and enhances cure. In terms of diagnostics, the project supported the finalization of the national TB lab strategic plan with complete rational mapping of diagnostic services. The project team conducted a national consultative workshop, finalized the TB lab strategic plan, and printed and distributed it. Sensitization training was conducted in CTB regions on the revised strategic plan. The project also supported local capacity building on smear microscopy service, ZN, and FM in CTB regions. The project made significant progress in strengthening TB microscopy EQA activities. The project team provided technical assistance in finalizing the national EQA guideline, supported the printing of 2,000 EQA guidelines, and organized a TOT on EQA in CTB-supported regions. The project also supported the decentralization of EQA service in the two regions, including mentorship of EQA supervisors, support for regular monitoring and supervision, and follow-up of progress in decentralizing EQA service. Overall, the Challenge TB project in Ethiopia made significant progress in improving TB control and prevention activities in the country. The project's achievements and progress are expected to contribute to the reduction of TB burden in Ethiopia.