BALTIMORE, MD, June 11, 2013 – Catholic Relief Services (CRS) has been awarded a $9.2 million grant by the Global Fund to Fight AIDS, Tuberculosis and Malaria to combat tuberculosis (TB) in the war-torn West African nation of Mali. The two-year initiative, with the possibility of a further three years, will be part of a nationwide effort by the Mali Ministry of Health to detect and cure more cases of the disease, reducing the number of new infections and deaths.
CRS will work closely with the Mali Ministry of Health to strengthen its ability to implement and carry out a national strategy to provide TB screening and treatment throughout the country, particularly in remote, rural areas where people often don’t have access to health services.
“Mali is a very vulnerable country that has been plagued by conflict since rebel insurgents took over more than half of the country in March 2012, and then were pushed back to the northern parts,” explains Sean Gallagher, CRS’ country representative in Mali. “While international aid agencies still cannot access many parts in the North due to ongoing violence, working with the Ministry of Health and its network of health centers will allow CRS to reach people in those areas and advance the national fight against TB.”
The nationwide TB project in Mali will rely on community volunteers who will be trained in detecting the disease and making sure people adhere to their treatment regimen. Often referred to as Directly Observed Treatment, Short course, or DOTS, this strategy requires a health care professional or trained volunteer to watch patients swallow each dose on a daily basis.
“Tuberculosis is a preventable and curable disease if detected and treated in its early stages,” said Dr. Elena McEwan, CRS’ Senior Health Technical Adviser. “The cost of treating a patient with TB can be as low as $10 if the person adheres to the drug regimen for 6 months. If that regimen is interrupted, there is a greater risk of becoming drug-resistant, dramatically increasing treatment costs as well as the risk of death, and the potential to spread this drug-resistant strain to others.”
As TB is a highly stigmatized disease in many countries, the initiative will also focus on raising awareness and educating people about its spread and prevention. CRS will train community and religious leaders and people who have been cured of the disease to disseminate messages on the importance of detection and care. Evidence has shown that community collaboration has the potential to significantly increase detection and cure rates.
Additionally, CRS will strengthen the national health system’s ability to diagnose TB, especially in children, by providing newer, more effective equipment and training laboratory staff in the biological diagnosis of new cases.
People who are co-infected with HIV and TB are much more likely to develop TB, according to the World Health Organization (WHO). The initiative in Mali will focus heavily on strengthening the National Tuberculosis Program to test people living with HIV and coordinating with the Ministry of Health’s High Council for the Fight Against HIV to provide anti-retroviral therapy, as well as TB treatment for patients with both infections.
“Mali is in a severe political-economic crisis, and the Ministry of Health has limited resources to fight the disease,” Gallagher said. “Our support to the National TB Program of the Ministry of Health in this nationwide initiative will allow us to reach more people with important TB messages, and improve diagnostic services and treatment, meaning fewer people will become sick and more lives are saved.” TB is a global problem. In 2011, the largest number of new TB cases occurred in Asia, accounting for 60 percent of new cases globally, according to the WHO. Sub-Saharan Africa carried the greatest proportion of new cases per population with over 260 cases per 100,000 people in 2011.
CRS supports TB programming through more than 20 projects in 15 countries, reaching one million people.
CONTACT:
Kim Pozniak
Catholic Relief Services
410-951-7281
kim.pozniak@crs.org