Сall for applications: Regional meeting on capacity building on DR-TB treatment in the EECA region

The TB Europe Coalition (TBEC) announced a call for applications to participate in a regional meeting on capacity building of civil society to advocate for safe and affordable drug-resistant TB (DR-TB) treatment in the region of Eastern Europe and Central Asia (EECA). The meeting will take place on 18-20 June 2019 in Kiev, Ukraine.

TBEC particularly welcomes applications from representatives of patient groups, organizations working with vulnerable groups of people living with TB or TB/HIV, and representatives of civil society organizations which advocate for access to TB/HIV treatment.

Meeting objectives:

• Increase understanding of the principles of the new WHO guidelines on DR-TB for achieving quality people-centered and rights-based TB care;
• Map barriers to the launch of the new WHO DR-TB guidelines in different countries and define the role of civil society in overcoming these barriers;
• Define ways for civil society actions to build demand among people undergoing TB treatment for the use of the new and safe medicines;
• Increase understanding of the role of informed consent in relation to treatment options as a human-rights based tool and to support civil society to improve practices of informed consent in their home countries and manage ethical considerations.
• Increase understanding of tools for monitoring of side effects;
• Familiarize participants with international mechanisms of compulsory and voluntary licensing that help reduce prices for TB drugs and define the role of civil society in associated regulatory processes;
• Define effective ways for engagement of parliamentarians in EECA in order to overcome structural barriers.

Who can apply for the meeting?

You can apply for participation in the regional meeting if you:

• want to help your local community of people living with TB or TB/HIV in getting quality, people-centered TB care;
• work in the field of advocacy for access to treatment for people living with TB or TB/HIV;
• willing and ready to be engaged in advocacy for access to safe and affordable DR-TB treatment in your country;
• live in one of the following countries: Armenia, Azerbaijan, Belarus, Georgia, Kazakstan, Kyrgyzstan, Moldova, Tajikistan, Turkmenistan, Ukraine, Uzbekistan.

Meeting materials will be provided in English and Russian. You must be fluent in one of these languages.

The number of participants for the meeting is limited.

How to apply for the meeting?

Follow the link to fill in the online application form – https://forms.gle/SdZo6qciKmGq9DZ79

Deadline for submission: 16 May 2019, 23:59 CET.

Meeting costs:

TBEC covers expenses (economy class flight, accommodation, meals) related to participation in the regional meeting on 18-20June 2019.

If you have any questions, please contact Yuliia Kalancha, TBEC Advocacy and Policy Manager, by e-mail: kalancha@tbcoalition.eu or by tel. +38 (095) 468 46 40 (for questions in Russian and/or English).

Source: TB Europe Coalition