18 Mar Mozambique: CCS launches TB case-finding activities at community level
[vc_row css_animation=”” row_type=”row” use_row_as_full_screen_section=”no” type=”full_width” angled_section=”no” text_align=”left” background_image_as_pattern=”without_pattern”][vc_column][vc_separator type=”normal” thickness=”2″ up=”20″ down=”20″][/vc_column][/vc_row][vc_row css_animation=”” row_type=”row” use_row_as_full_screen_section=”no” type=”full_width” angled_section=”no” text_align=”left” background_image_as_pattern=”without_pattern”][vc_column][vc_gallery type=”nivo” interval=”3″ images=”2620,2622″ img_size=”full”][vc_column_text]Although Mozambique has high estimates of TB incidence, the national TB reporting rate is still below 50%. In 2018, as the main Global Fund’s recipient, CCS (Collaborating Centre for Health) launched the project “Reinforcing the National HIV and TB Response in Mozambique”. It is a national project being progressively implemented in the provinces of Cabo Delgado, Niassa, Manica, Inhambane, Maputo City and Maputo Province.
The intervention targets populations at higher risk of TB infection like TB contacts, people living with HIV and children under 5 years old.
Under this approach, community-based organizations are chosen as fund sub recipients and community health workers (CHWs) are selected and trained to lead health promotion activities such as community dialogues and distribution of IEC (information, education and communication) material at community level for demand creation.
CHWs also conduct TB screening, investigation and diagnosis activities. They identify people with presumptive TB, collect sputum and transport it to health facilities. Positive TB patients are then referred to community DOTS for treatment and children under 5 years old are referred to health facilities for screening and enrolled in Isoniazid preventive therapy.
CHWs perform home reintegration visits for people lost to follow-up and conduct contact tracing of index patients. CHWs are periodically screened to prevent the spread of TB among communities
All of these activities are conducted in close collaboration with health facilities and coordination meetings are organized every week with the CHWs to ensure that all TB cases identified in the community are enrolled in TB treatment.
Implementation of field activities started in October 2018 in the provinces of Maputo and Inhambane, and in Maputo City; and reporting rates for TB have already improved. According, to a NTCP report, in 2017, community contribution to TB all forms was 12%, 20% and 0% in the Maputo province, Inhambane and Maputo City respectively. In Q4 2018, community case notifications increased to 18%, 31% and 15% respectively.
The CCS head office staff recently visited all provinces implementing the Global Fund project with the aim to strengthen the capacity of staff in collecting, producing and reporting data at all levels. CCS central team has indeed provided technical assistance and verified the availability, consistency, completeness, and accuracy of monthly data reported throughout the M&E system.
CCS will continue to focus on strategy consolidation and strengthening of links between communities and health facilities, as well as empowering communities to lead the activities in the fight against TB.[/vc_column_text][/vc_column][/vc_row]