TB CARE I - Zambia Year 2 Quarterly Report January - March 2012

The report covers the progress of TB CARE I in Zambia during the first quarter of 2012. The overall work plan completion is 38%. The Universal and Early Access technical area has made significant progress. A kick-off workshop for the Patient Centered Approach (PCA) package was held from February 1-3, 2012, with 9 participants. An implementation plan was drafted for implementation in three districts in the North Western province of Zambia. Discussions and agreements were made with the ACSM consultant for scale up of ACSM activities planned for the third quarter of project implementation. Planning meetings were held for ACSM with the health promotion officer and TB CARE I, and agreements have been made on how activities will be implemented in the next quarter. The Laboratories technical area has also made progress. TB CARE I procured two Xpert MTBRIF machines in February 2012, which have been delivered to the country. One machine will be placed in a facility in the Copperbelt province with high HIV and TB burden, and one will be placed in a facility in Central province. Technical assistance will be provided by KNCV for effective utilization of the new diagnostic tools. TB CARE I also provided support for training of six laboratory staff in advanced tuberculosis techniques at Makerere University in Uganda from March 4-17, 2012. The TB/HIV technical area has made significant progress. Two TB/HIV district meetings were held under TB CARE I support in March 2012, with 68 participants attending the meeting in two districts on the copperbelt. The meetings provided a forum for exchange of information, plans, and agreements among the TB and HIV program. TB CARE I supported training of 54 nurses and clinical officers working in TB clinics on the copperbelt in provider-initiated HIV counselling and testing. The TB IC technical area has also made progress. The Ndola district TB IC demonstration site project was launched on January 17, 2012. Between January and March, three project interventions were completed, and mission reports for the three interventions were submitted. 116 community volunteers representing 12 of the 15 facilities under the Ndola Demonstration site project (TB IC) were trained in TB IC. A Project manager position was also filled, and the staff member was expected to start work on April 2, 2012. The Health System Strengthening technical area has made significant progress. The Ministry of Health (MOH) held the international World TB Day commemoration for Zambia in Solwezi, North Western Province, on March 24, 2012. The Minister of Health (MoH), Provincial Medical Offices, hosted the event with participation from other MOH representations, the USAID mission representative, WHO representative, and representatives from partner organizations supporting the national efforts in TB control. TB CARE I also provided funding support through the WHO partnership. The project has realized the need to hire more staff, and the hiring of a Senior Programs Advisor and a finance and administration officer were included in the year two work plan. The hiring process is underway. The project also held discussions to cost-share a program officer position under FHI360 to support the technical and finance staff with programmatic components of the project. The project is also waiting on NTP guidance for the preparation of workplan details for the prevalence survey for the additional funding obligated by USAID. The NTP Manager, Dr. Nathna Kapata, participated in a Mock Technical Review Panel (TRP) workshop in Nairobi, Kenya, from March 19-21, 2012, to prepare a Transitional Funding Mechanism (TFM) proposal. The WHO officer, Dr. Mwendaweli Maboshe, in Zambia provided technical support during the quarter before this process with an external consultant who came to Zambia during the quarter. The project has made significant progress in implementing the work plan, with a focus on increasing demand for and use of high-quality TB services and improving the satisfaction with TB services provided. The Patient's Charter is being implemented, and the NTP and TB CARE I will review the PPM toolkit and advise on implementation of tools from the toolkit. The project has also made progress in increasing the quality of TB services delivered among all care providers, with a focus on ensuring capacity, availability, and quality of laboratory testing in country needed to support the diagnosis and monitoring of TB patients.