ECCA country representatives review progress on strengthening health systems for TB prevention and care

During a meeting held on 13 September 2017, in conjunction with the 67th session of the WHO Regional Committee for Europe, representatives of 11 eastern European and central Asian (EECA) countries assessed progress in efforts to strengthen health systems for tuberculosis (TB) prevention and care. Participants also discussed future plans to maintain the ongoing transformation of the health system.

Panellists at the session included representatives of Member States participating in the TB Regional EECA Project (TB-REP); the Global Fund to Fight AIDS, Tuberculosis and Malaria; WHO/Europe; and the Center for Health Policies and Studies (PAS).

Attendees of the meeting commended the approaches of TB-REP towards reaching the common goal of decreasing the burden of TB by strengthening health systems in participating countries. Country representatives expressed the need for sustainability of ongoing efforts, and that success in TB and multidrug-resistant TB (MDR-TB) control in eastern Europe and central Asia cannot be achieved only by medical approaches. Furthermore, they highlighted the importance of continuing TB-REP after 2018, to maintain ongoing transformation of health systems.

The 11 countries involved in the project are Armenia, Azerbaijan, Belarus, Georgia, Kazakhstan, Kyrgyzstan, Republic of Moldova, Tajikistan, Turkmenistan, Ukraine and Uzbekistan.

WHO works in close collaboration with all partners and participating countries in implementing the project.

TB REP is funded by the Global Fund and implemented by PAS as a Principal Recipient, and WHO/Europe as one of the key technical partners. The project supports 11 EECA countries in addressing outdated models of TB care in order to tackle the high burden of TB and MDR-TB. The project assists countries in implementing effective and efficient TB service delivery systems with sustainable financing.