US$ 48 million in funding to extend The Union's fight against TB

“This announcement is the perfect way to round off what has been a stimulating and informative conference,” said Jose Luis Castro, Interim Executive Director of The Union. “In recent days we have discussed so many innovative and effective projects to research, diagnose, treat and control lung disease, but the challenge of funding this important work is ever present. That’s why I am pleased to be able to announce the allocation of more than US $48 million today, money that will be used to bolster the fight against TB in countries with a high burden of the disease. We look forward to hearing about the progress of these projects at next year's Union World Conference on Lung Health in Barcelona."

INDIA: US $30.45 million from the Global Fund for Project Axshya

With some 2 million new cases of tuberculosis yearly, India bears the highest burden globally, and has among the highest number of MDR-TB patients. Additional funding of $30.45 million over the next two years from the Global Fund to Fight AIDS, TB and Malaria (The Global Fund) will expand access to tuberculosis information and services, increase the reach of the Revised National TB Control Programme and empower civil society and people affected by TB. This additional funding is part of Phase Two of the A2-rated, Round 9 Grant to Project Axshya. “Axshya”, meaning “TB-Free”, is a major initiative that will continue to strengthen tuberculosis care and control in 300 districts across 21 States of India – over half the country. Coordinated by The Union South-East Asia Office in New Delhi, and implemented through nine partners, this grant works with over 1,200 NG0s and 3,000 CBOs.

Axshya prioritises vulnerable populations and people living in hard-to-reach geographic areas who have the greatest difficulty in accessing diagnosis and treatment for TB. This includes women, children, tribal communities, urban slum dwellers and migrant populations. Read more about Project Axshya

MYANMAR: US $9.6 million from the Global Fund for PICTS

Since 2005, The Union Office in Mandalay has been providing TB services in Myanmar, one of the 22 countries with the highest burden of TB. In 2012, The Union collaborated with the government and People Affected by TB (PATB) community to launch PICTS: a Program to Increase Catchment of TB Suspects. Initially funded by TB REACH, and currently co-funded by The Union’s headquarters, PICTS will now continue with support from the Global Fund from 2014 -2016. Across the seven townships of Mandalay, PICTS has deployed thousands of volunteers to reinforce case finding and access to diagnosis by increasing community awareness of TB through mass communications, decentralisation of symptom screening, sputum collection closer to the community and referral to Township Health Centres (TSHC).

Through TB REACH, The Union also initiated the use of new diagnostic technologies, such as fluorescent microscopy and GeneXpert. As the result of these efforts, 35,907 people with possible TB were screened and 2,084 cases of TB diagnosed, including 808 bacteriologically confirmed cases (40%). http://www.stoptb.org/assets/documents/global/awards/tbreach/Myanmar%20UNION.pdf

GLOBAL: US $8.3 million from USAID for TREAT TB

The Union’s TREAT TB (Technology, Research, Education and Technical Assistance for Tuberculosis) initiative has received US $8.3 million for 2013-14 to build on its landmark clinical trial, STREAM, which began patient recruitment in 2012. The STREAM clinical trial compares a shortened MDR-TB treatment regimen with the local, standard, WHO-recommended regimen. The results, which will be available in 2016, will shape global treatment guidelines for MDR-TB.

Funded by the US Agency for International Development (USAID), TREAT TB is led by The Union, with a core team of international research partners and ministries of health (MOHs). In addition, strategic partners at regional and national levels, who are uniquely positioned to plan and implement research activities, are also involved. The Union also takes advantage of its active involvement in the working groups and taskforces of the Stop TB Partnership and the global network of Union offices as platforms from which to coordinate TREAT TB activities.

One of the achievements of the initiative has been the development of a model for a successful research partnership that can stimulate changes in international standards and practice in ways that serve country needs. Read more about TREAT TB.

Source: The Union