Project goal: organization of active detection and diagnosis of tuberculosis among internally displaced persons, persons in difficult life circumstances with an increased risk of tuberculosis (hereinafter referred to as IDPs), living in the controlled territories of Luhansk and Donetsk regions and the city of Kharkiv, and the population of the "gray zone".

The project is implemented in cooperation with social service centers for families, children and youth (regional, city and district), primary health care facilities and the tuberculosis service.

Project implementation period: 01.2018 – 12.2020

PROJECT TARGET GROUPS

Internally displaced persons – people who were forced to flee or leave their homes or places of residence in order to avoid the consequences of the armed conflict in Eastern Ukraine and in connection with the annexation of the Autonomous Republic of Crimea, and who did not cross the internationally recognized state border of the country. It is assumed that IDPs who are in difficult living circumstances, including those living in densely populated areas and who are most vulnerable to TB, will be primarily involved in TB screening.

Persons in LWO due to poverty and harmful use of alcohol – persons who, according to the results of the needs assessment act of specialists from social service centers, have an insufficient level of material security and, according to the results of the WHO test (Audit - a test for assessing alcohol use), practice harmful alcohol use.

Individuals from the population living in the territorial proximity to the contact line (gray zone population) settlements of Bakhmut, Mariupol and Stanychno-Luhansk districts.

In the first two years of the project, 104,496 people were screened for tuberculosis. An additional 75,000 clients are planned to be reached in 2020.

A separate challenge and urgent task at the same time is the examination of the population of the “gray zone” (territories close to the contact line). The results of the previous year showed that in the Donetsk region, the cases detected were primarily among this category of clients.

Regarding the results of TB screening for 2019: every fifth client of the project, according to the report, has at least three symptoms of TB.

DIRECTIONS OF WORK

1. Creation of a referral system and development of an effective interaction algorithm to ensure easier access to TB diagnostics and treatment between social service centers for families, children and youth and general medical institutions and/or anti-TB facilities.

2. Introduction of a system of measures for early detection of TB among IDPs, VHLs and the “gray zone” population: social workers involve clients in a screening questionnaire for TB and refer clients with suspected TB to medical institutions for examination; in some areas, measures aimed at detecting TB are part of the activities of mobile multidisciplinary teams.

3. Establishing TB infection control in the field: LHSI informs social workers of partner organizations about infection control measures when the social worker works with the client.

4. Dissemination of experience gained from the implementation of project activities: LHSI highlights the results of activities on the website and in social networks. In addition, specialists in the regions prepare and present reports on the implementation of project activities at meetings of regional coordination councils on HIV/AIDS and TB.

Partners about us:

Kharkiv City Central School of Social and Cultural Education – Working with people at high risk of tuberculosis in quarantine conditions

Partnership “Stop Tuberculosis. Ukraine” – Success story of one of the project clients

Grantor: Global Fund to Fight AIDS, Tuberculosis and Malaria, the main recipient is Public Health Alliance.