TB CARE I-Kyrgyzstan Year 1 Quarterly Report January - February 2012

The project began in 2012 and focuses on several key areas, including universal and early access, laboratories, infection control, PMDT, and TB/HIV. In the first quarter of 2012, the project made significant progress in several areas. In the technical area of universal and early access, the project achieved 89% completion of its work plan. The draft National TB program "Tuberculosis IV" for 2012-2016 was discussed with the National TB Program (NTP) and key partners, and submitted to NTP for approval. The project also made progress in the technical area of laboratories. A working meeting on discussion of recording and reporting forms, schedule of reporting, and chain of data transmission as well as electronic database on TB patients was conducted. The development of National Laboratory Plan, including a chapter for prisons, is planned for the next quarter. In the technical area of infection control, the project held meetings with the thematic working group to discuss the chapters of TB-IC guidelines. However, the training for members of TB-IC TWG was postponed until the next quarter. The project also made progress in the technical area of PMDT. A meeting with NTP team, prison staff, and partners was organized in February 2012 to discuss the PMDT action plans for project sites. However, the PMDT action plan will be finalized in the next quarter due to poor national TB register management. In the technical area of TB/HIV, the project drafted the National strategic plan on TB/HIV collaborative activities in line with WHO standards. The country has a National strategic plan on TB/HIV collaborative activities in line with WHO standards. The project also made progress in the technical area of health systems strengthening. The draft National TB program "Tuberculosis IV" for 2012-2016 was discussed with NTP and key partners, and submitted to NTP for approval. The project also held meetings with NTP and key partners on establishment of TWG on TB in migrants. The project faced several challenges, including weak laboratory service in prison system, lack of reliable information about TB situation among migrated population, and insufficient coordination of GeneXpert implementation at the country level. The project plans to address these challenges in the next quarter. Overall, the TB CARE I-Kyrgyzstan project made significant progress in the first quarter of 2012, achieving 89% completion of its work plan in the technical area of universal and early access. The project also made progress in several other technical areas, including laboratories, infection control, PMDT, and TB/HIV. However, the project faced several challenges that need to be addressed in the next quarter. The project's overall work plan completion was 82% at the end of the first quarter. The project plans to finalize the National Laboratory Plan, PMDT action plan, and protocols on TB in children in the next quarter. The project also plans to establish a thematic working group on TB in migrants and conduct a workshop on discussion of pre-final version of the National TB Program. The project's expected outcomes include improved TB control in prisons, strengthened TB control in migrants, improved laboratory strategic planning capacity, and enhanced TB diagnostic capability through introduction of new diagnostic tools. The project's indicators include the ratio of TB notification rate in healthcare staff, number of childhood TB cases, and number of MDR TB cases put on treatment. The project's baseline data shows that the ratio of TB notification rate in healthcare staff is 118 per 100,000 doctors and nurses. The number of childhood TB cases in Bishkek is 121, and in Issyk-Kul is 33. The number of MDR TB cases put on treatment in Bishkek is 77, and in Issyk-Kul is 23. The project's next steps include finalizing the National Laboratory Plan, PMDT action plan, and protocols on TB in children, establishing a thematic working group on TB in migrants, and conducting a workshop on discussion of pre-final version of the National TB Program. The project also plans to address the challenges faced in the first quarter, including weak laboratory service in prison system, lack of reliable information about TB situation among migrated population, and insufficient coordination of GeneXpert implementation at the country level.