Quarterly Report FY 2021 Quarter 2: January 01 - March 31, 2021

The project is implemented by the International Rescue Committee (IRC) in Viet Nam, with funding from the United States Agency for International Development (USAID). The primary objective of the Erase TB Activity is to improve access to TB care, strengthen the capacity of local organizations to engage in the TB response, and accelerate declines in TB incidence. The project focuses on four key work packages: ENHANCE, REPORT, ASSIST, and SWEEP. ENHANCE aims to improve early TB detection and treatment by screening household members and close contacts of TB patients using the 'Double-X' strategy. REPORT seeks to increase service quality and reporting by private sector providers through TB screening and treatment notification. ASSIST provides social support to TB households to reduce the social and financial burden on patients. SWEEP implements community-based mobile chest X-ray screening and Xpert testing to improve access to TB services. The project also includes a fifth work package, EVALUATE, which monitors and evaluates the project's progress, outputs, and outcomes. The Monitoring and Evaluation (M&E) work package ensures that data is collected and analyzed to inform decision-making and maximize TB yields and population-level impact. As of the reporting period, January 1 to March 31, 2021, the Erase TB Activity has achieved significant outputs. A total of 65,727 people were screened with chest X-ray, exceeding the target of 30,553. The number of people diagnosed with TB was 2,180, which is 160.6% of the target. The number of people initiated on TB treatment was 2,147, representing 159.3% of the target. The project has also made progress in evaluating household contacts for active or latent TB. A total of 881 household contacts were evaluated, which is 35.1% of the target. However, the number of household contacts initiated on preventive treatment was 19, which is only 1.6% of the target. The Erase TB Activity is being implemented in Ha Noi and Ho Chi Minh City, with a focus on high-risk populations. The project is working with local organizations, including the National TB Control Programme, to strengthen the capacity of the TB response and improve access to TB care. The project's progress and outputs will continue to be monitored and evaluated to ensure that the objectives are met and TB incidence is reduced in Viet Nam.