Coordinator
Ramya Ananthakrishnan, REACH, India
Task Force members
Dinesh Kumar, Dr. Rajendra Prasad Government Medical College, India, Liliana Caraulan, PAS Center, Moldova, Giorgio Franyuti, Medical IMPACT, Mexico
NDWG priority addressed
Developing training materials on new TB diagnostics targeted at community representatives and sensitize communities via advocacy activities.
Background
Rather than using a top-down approach, it is essential to engage communities as equal partners at all stages of TB response planning and implementation through community-based and community-led initiatives. This includes ensuring that the voices of communities are heard in TB care access, research and development as well as advocacy. Having lived through the experience of TB, TB affected communities play an especially key role in understanding the local context and community perspective. When engaged, community members, TB survivors and advocates can support in-country advocacy efforts for roll-out of new TB diagnostics.
Goal and Objectives
The Task Force and all its activities will support the following:
- Advocate for improved TB case detection by advocating for accurate testing, enabling person-centred care at all levels of the health care system, for all populations, including children and those living with HIV, key populations including vulnerable groups, migrants, underserved groups, and develop innovative diagnostic strategies that ensure better outreach to people with TB
- Strengthen community systems, research literacy, and the meaningful engagement of TB affected communities in TB diagnostics R&D
Work plan highlights and key deliverables
