The Eradicate Tuberculosis Project Quarterly Report 1st April 2018 – 30th June 2018

The project targets high TB burden hot spots, including underserved community groups, children, people living with HIV (PLHIV), and persons in congregate settings such as prisons. The project supports the GRZ's goal of TB elimination by 2035. The project operates in six provinces (Central, Copperbelt, Luapula, Muchinga, Northern, and North Western) of Zambia, as well as at the national level. At the national level, the ETB program supports financial and technical capacities to strengthen laboratory supervision, the national surveillance system for incidence and prevalence data, national coordination with the HIV program in TB/HIV collaborative activities, and the development of TB guidelines. At the provincial level, the ETB program promotes laboratory strengthening, trains healthcare workers, promotes infection control, procures supplies, supports infrastructure renovations, transportation of specimens, supervision of healthcare workers, and joint strategic planning. The project's objectives are to increase the number of individuals screened for TB in the target provinces by 50 percent, thereby increasing the number of people diagnosed with TB, and to increase TB treatment success rate to 85 percent and beyond in the target provinces. The project is being implemented by a consortium of six organizations, with PATH as the lead organization, and subcontracting partners including ZAMBART, Afya Mzuri, CITAM+, ASLM, and Initiatives. Implementation progress during the first quarter of 2018 (April to June) focused on several key areas. In finance and administration, the project made significant progress in budgeting and financial management. In terms of directly observed therapy short-course (DOTS) expansion and treatment, the project increased the number of individuals screened for TB in the target provinces, resulting in a 50 percent increase in the number of people diagnosed with TB. TB/HIV coordination was also a key area of focus, with the project working to strengthen collaboration between the TB and HIV programs. The project launched several strategic documents, including the TB/HIV coordination strategy, and printed these documents for distribution to stakeholders. The project also renovated laboratory infrastructure and conducted technical supportive visits to the Chest Diseases Laboratory. In addition, the project supported the launch of the cartridge-based GeneXpert maintenance contract with Cepheid, and conducted a courier consultative meeting to discuss the modified courier system. The project also provided laboratory mentorship and supportive supervision, and conducted an external quality assessment (EQA) to ensure the accuracy of TB testing. The project also made progress in engaging all categories of care providers, including clinicians, pharmacists, and community volunteers. The project conducted a World Bank TB project consultative meeting, trained trainers, provided entrepreneurship training, identified TB champions, and trained community TB supporters. In terms of strengthening human resources for TB, the project developed a standardized orientation package and rolled it out to healthcare workers. The project also supported the development of a national TB training plan and conducted routine monitoring of human resources for health. Finally, the project enabled and promoted operational research, including operational research advocacy meetings with strategic partners and support for holding OR subcommittee meetings. The project also identified lessons learned and challenges encountered during the first quarter of 2018, and outlined key planned activities for the next quarter. Overall, the Eradicate Tuberculosis Project made significant progress during the first quarter of 2018, focusing on key areas such as DOTS expansion and treatment, TB/HIV coordination, engagement of care providers, and strengthening human resources for TB. The project continues to work towards its objectives of increasing TB screening and treatment success rates in the target provinces.