Quarterly Report: July 2011 - September 2011

The project's overall work plan completion has improved from 30% in the previous quarter to 80% by the end of September 2011. This improvement is attributed to teamwork, operational, and relationship management by both parties, as well as support from the headquarters, Program Management Unit (PMU), and the USAID mission. One of the major achievements of the quarter is the launch of the first Gene Xpert machines in public health facilities in Kenya. The machines, acquired with support from TB CARE I, have been installed in three public health facilities in the Coast province, which has the highest workload in the country. The laboratory staff from these facilities have been trained and have started using the machines, with follow-up visits planned. The Kenya Ministry of Public Health & Sanitation, through the Division of Leprosy, Tuberculosis, and Lung Diseases (DLTLD), in collaboration with partners, organized and hosted the Second International Scientific Lung Health Conference in Kenya from October 5th to 8th, 2011. The conference brought together researchers from all over the world and encouraged interaction among representatives of various disciplines involved in addressing lung health. The conference registered a total of 530 participants, including 50 international participants, and discussed lung health diseases, including non-communicable and pneumonia, in the platform of TB control. The project has also supported the quarterly TB and leprosy control program review meetings in all 12 operational TB control provinces. During these review meetings, validation of district data, challenges of TB control, technical, and operational issues were discussed. The first semi-annual meeting for 2011 was held in September 2011 to review activities of TB & Leprosy Control Program from January to June 2011. Presentations from all TB operational provinces, central unit, and partners were made, and provincial planning for the next year was done based on the Strategic Plan of the Division of Leprosy, TB, and Lung Diseases (DLTLD). Technical assistance (TA) for quality assurance of chest X-ray, PMDT combined with GLC, surveillance system, TB patient engagement guidelines development, and operational research/survey support were provided by international consultants during the reporting quarter. The TA on x-ray was the first TOT on quality assurance. The project has also made progress in the technical area of universal and early access, with 82% completion of the work plan. The project has established 16 sputum collection sites in Nairobi and Mombasa, with a total of 481 sputum specimens collected and 28 smear-positive cases identified. The project has also trained staff from high-yield corporates and industries, with a total of 94 participants trained from Thika, Nairobi, Mombasa, and Naivasha. In the technical area of laboratories, the project has made significant progress, with 98% completion of the work plan. The project has established an EQA network, with 1230 laboratories out of 1538 participating in EQA during the quarter. A total of 13,855 slides were rechecked during the quarter. The project has also made progress in the technical area of infection control, with 50% completion of the work plan. The project has trained TB IC trainers, with 12 regions having TB IC trainers. The project has also established hospitals with IC plans, with 6 hospitals having TB IC plans. The project has also made progress in the technical area of PMDT, with 75% completion of the work plan. The project has supported 161 MDR TB patients on treatment in 67 facilities, with a treatment defaulter (interruption) rate of 6%. Overall, the Kenya TB CARE I project has made significant progress in the first quarter of 2011, with improvements in the overall work plan completion, launch of Gene Xpert machines, and progress in the technical areas of universal and early access, laboratories, infection control, and PMDT.