TB CARE I - Zimbabwe Year 2 Quarterly Report

The program's lead partner is The Union, with collaborating partners KNCV and WHO. The reporting period was October-December 2011, and the report was sent on January 30, 2012. The most significant achievements of the quarter include the development of a human resources for health implementation plan for TB control, which followed a situation analysis and a stakeholders workshop. Data verification was conducted in one district in each of the five provinces, and the results showed varying quality of data across districts. Two health workers underwent training in advanced infection control and pediatric TB in South Africa. The overall implementation status was at 6%, with only the HR development element of the plan completed. The quarter ended before the plan was officially approved, and a compressed annual schedule was drawn up to make up for lost time. The national TB program has been advised to reapply for phase 2 of Round 8 of the Global Fund, with a no-cost extension of phase 1 granted until June 2012. The program's technical areas include universal and early access, laboratories, infection control, PMDT, TB/HIV, and health systems strengthening. The results for these areas are as follows: 8% completion for universal and early access, 0% completion for laboratories, 0% completion for infection control, 6% completion for PMDT, 0% completion for TB/HIV, and 22% completion for health systems strengthening. The program's technical outcome report highlights several challenges and next steps to reach the target. For example, the rapid tests conducted for GeneXpert MTB/RIF were 0 in 2012, and the scaled-up implementation of TB-IC strategies was at 0% completion. The program also reported challenges in implementing activities that contribute to the outcome of proportion of sputum specimens and results transported to the laboratory by the sputum motorcycle system. The program's expected outcomes include improved treatment success of MDR TB, ensured optimal use of new approaches to the laboratory confirmation of TB, and strengthened TB IC monitoring and measurement. The results for these areas are as follows: 100% completion for MDR TB patients who have completed the full course of MDR TB treatment regimen and have a negative sputum culture, 0 rapid tests conducted for GeneXpert MTB/RIF in 2012, and 0% completion for scaled-up implementation of TB-IC strategies. The program's highlights of the quarter include the development of a human resources for health implementation plan, data verification in one district in each of the five provinces, and two health workers undergoing training in advanced infection control and pediatric TB. The program's challenges and next steps to reach the target include implementing activities that contribute to the outcome of proportion of sputum specimens and results transported to the laboratory by the sputum motorcycle system, and scaling up the proportion of HIV-positive TB patients on ART.