TB CARE I - CAR Quarterly Report July-September 2012

The quarterly report highlights the progress made in various technical areas, including Universal and Early Access, Laboratories, Infection Control, and Health Systems Strengthening. The report also discusses the challenges faced and the next steps to be taken to achieve the targets. In the Universal and Early Access technical area, a joint plan for TB control in prisons and general TB services was developed and presented at the Coordination Council on September 27. A technical working group on the development of outpatient care was established at the National TB Program, and a draft plan for piloting the outpatient model of care in Kyrgyzstan was developed. In the Laboratories technical area, an international consultant conducted a lab maintenance assessment and delivered a workshop on international standards of laboratory maintenance. A training on laboratory management system was delivered for 14 heads of regional laboratories, and a draft of the guidelines on laboratory maintenance was prepared and is under revision by the National Reference Laboratory. In the Infection Control technical area, guidelines on TB IC, including TB IC in prisons, were finalized and presented at the Coordination Council. A training on TB IC was conducted for 16 representatives from general and prison TB services, and a training on TB IC Monitoring & Measurement was conducted for 16 representatives from general and prison TB services. In the Health Systems Strengthening technical area, three specialists were trained in an international course on MDR TB in Riga, Latvia, and another specialist was trained in an international course on TB control in Tartu, Estonia. Additionally, 45 specialists were trained at local courses on TB IC and laboratory management. The report also highlights the challenges faced in the technical areas, including the need for a shared, clear vision on how to introduce and administer outpatient treatment, the absence of systematic approach to laboratory maintenance, and the differences in vision on how to implement GeneXpert in Kyrgyzstan. The next steps to be taken include consolidating all recommendations into one comprehensive model for outpatient care, finalizing the guidelines on laboratory maintenance, and including GeneXpert Strategy into the National Laboratory Plan. The report also mentions the approval of the second phase of the Global Fund proposal and the postponement of supervisory visits to APA3 due to limited human resources. The report provides data on the progress made in the technical areas, including the percentage of prisons providing DOTS, the development of the outpatient model of care, and the establishment of a technical working group on Xpert MTB/Rif. The report also highlights the challenges and next steps to be taken to achieve the targets in the technical areas. Overall, the report provides an update on the progress made in the technical areas and highlights the challenges faced and the next steps to be taken to achieve the targets.