Quarterly Performance Report: USAID TB Free Uzbekistan Activity

The Activity will focus on building the capacity of Uzbekistan's health institutions and enhancing its leadership, management, financing, and information systems. The goal is to reduce the burden of TB in Uzbekistan by implementing targeted interventions to support the National TB Program (NTP) in improving the effectiveness and efficiency of priority functions and mechanisms in the TB response. The Activity will achieve this goal by strengthening the capacity of people and institutions, improving data availability, usability, and system interoperability, and operationalizing policies and guiding documents. The Activity will also support the NTP in developing and implementing action plans to resolve priority bottlenecks. The TB burden remains high in Uzbekistan, with the country ranked in the top 30 globally for its multidrug-resistant TB (MDR-TB) burden. The Activity will focus on improving TB service delivery by ensuring that healthcare providers are skilled and motivated, and that they work in laboratories and health facilities with accessible drugs, supplies, and services. Community engagement and participation are also essential to reducing TB stigma and providing comprehensive support services to TB patients. The Activity will support the NTP in implementing the following interventions: 1. Increase case detection through targeted screening and active case finding. 2. Increase bacteriological and drug-susceptible testing coverage. 3. Increase successful initiation and treatment outcomes for all forms of TB. 4. Increase and improve TB preventive treatment and other TB preventive measures. The Activity will also focus on strengthening the capacity of healthcare providers, improving data availability and usability, and operationalizing policies and guiding documents. The Activity will work closely with the NTP to develop and implement action plans to resolve priority bottlenecks and improve TB service delivery. The Activity has made significant progress in the first quarter of 2024, including: * Conducted training for healthcare providers on TB diagnosis and treatment. * Established a network of GeneXpert laboratories to improve TB diagnosis. * Implemented a quality management system to ensure the quality of TB services. * Conducted a midterm evaluation to assess the progress of the Activity. The Activity will continue to work closely with the NTP to achieve its goals and objectives. The Activity will also continue to monitor and evaluate its progress and make adjustments as necessary to ensure the success of the TB response in Uzbekistan. The Activity has made significant progress in improving TB service delivery, including: * Increasing bacteriological and drug-susceptible testing coverage. * Increasing and improving TB preventive treatment and other TB preventive measures. The Activity has also made progress in strengthening the capacity of healthcare providers, improving data availability and usability, and operationalizing policies and guiding documents. The Activity will continue to work closely with the NTP to achieve its goals and objectives and ensure the success of the TB response in Uzbekistan. The Activity has identified several risks and challenges, including: * Limited resources and funding. * Limited capacity of healthcare providers. * Limited availability of TB drugs and supplies. * Limited access to healthcare services in rural areas. The Activity will continue to work closely with the NTP to address these risks and challenges and ensure the success of the TB response in Uzbekistan.