Promote Intensified TB Case Finding among PLHIV and Vulnerable Group
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- Released On: 03/14/2015
Promote Intensified TB Case Finding among PLHIV and Vulnerable Group
Provision of mandatory TB testing for PLHIV enrollment in ART centers, is still unable to reach among pre-ART stage PLHIV due to lack of special mechanism to reach among pre-ART PLHIV. As a result, PLHIV in pre-ART stage are always left out from the early TB screening process. In addition, lack of diagnostic tools and poor methods of reaching out to PLHIV and their family members further complementing late TB diagnosis and widening the gap of TB cases finding among PLHIV and their family members. Reaching among PLHIV at the pre-ART stage or newly HIV tested people with a strategic intervention is urgently required for finding hidden cases of TB among PLHIV in Nepal.
Therefore, Naya Goreto (NG) proposed an innovative intervention to reach among PLHIV for early TB diagnosis among pre-ART PLHIV in WAVE 4 TB reach. With a support from World Health Organization (WHO), NG is now implementing a project titled "Promote Intensified TB Case Finding among PLHIV and Vulnerable Group" in 10 districts of Nepal namely Kailali, Kanchanpur, Accham, Doti, Baglung, Palpa, Kaski, Rupandehi, Kathmandu and Lalitpur where HIV prevalence rate is higher. The project will reach among PLHIV and their family members for screening, testing, detecting TB; and putting TB/HIV co-infected on treatment that constitute good practice of TB case finding among PLHIV in Nepal.
The key strategic interventions of the project are as follows:
- Early TB testing of PLHIV in Pre-ART stage or on the spot TB testing when an individual diagnosed with HIV
- Capacity building and mobilization of ex TB/HIV patients for active case findings among PLHIV
- Referral to GeneXpert as advance medical services for screening clinically symptomatic cases of PLHIV
- Development and dissemination of BCC/IEC related communication materials to reduce stigma and discrimination towards PLHIV and promotion of isonized preventive therapy among PLHIV
- Mobile Messaging/contact tracing mechanism to reduce TB case holding practice and early TB diagnosis among PLHIV in Nepal