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Dhaka, October 5, 2020:Â icddr,b has been implementing the USAID’s Alliance for Combating Tuberculosis in Bangladesh (ACTB) project in collaboration with the National TB Control Programme (NTP), Directorate General of Health Services (DGHS) since March 2020. Recently, icddr,b has partnered with one of the largest local development partner HEED Bangladesh to ramp up the diagnosis and management of TB cases in tea garden areas of Sylhet Division. An inception meeting was held today at Kamalganj, Moulvibazar in the presence of Professor (Dr.) Md. Shamiul Islam, Director, Mycobacterial Disease Control (MBDC) & Line Director TBL and ASP, NTP, DGHS and Mr. Derrick S. Brown, Mission Director, USAID.
Recent data from NTP shows that tuberculosis - a highly infectious disease remains a major public health threat in the country. In the first six months of this year (Jan-Jun 2020) 99,000 TB cases were reported. An estimated 247 cases per day remain undetected due to asymptomatic condition or lack of access to the screening of the disease.
icddr,b and HEED Bangladesh partnership under the ACTB project will carry out community-based interventions among tea, rubber and Punji (ethnic village) communities in order to identify active cases by engaging tea garden healthcare workers and local private practitioners. The tea-garden healthcare workers will be trained on TB screening, diagnosis, and management. Different awareness programmes will be conducted through cultural events like POT song on TB. The partnership will also carry out active case identification for early TB case detection, contact investigation and TB preventive therapy among others.
On the occasion, Professor Islam in his remark thanked the USAID, icddr,b and HEED Bangladesh for expanding ACTB operations in the hard to reach areas. He said, “Detection of tuberculosis becomes a challenge during the ongoing COVID-19 pandemic. However, I believe this partnership will not only raise awareness about the disease but also will help detect more cases and reduce the burden among tea garden workers and in the local communities. I wish every success to this initiative.”
Mr. Brown appreciated the project activities and reiterated USAID’s commitment to reduce the incidence of tuberculosis by 2022 through increasing case detection and treatment of all forms of TB. He also appreciated NTP’s leadership in controlling tuberculosis in Bangladesh.
Among others, Xerses Sidhwa, PHNE Director, USAID; Dr. Pushpita Samina, Clinical Services Lead, USAID; Dr. Paul Daru, Chief of Party, ACTB, icddr,b and Dr. Shahriar Ahmed, Project Coordinator, ACTB, icddr,b also spoke on the occasion.
The inauguration session included presentation from HEED Bangladesh, POT song on TB control, visits to project activities, meeting ethnic group leaders at Fuskuri Tea Estate and attending a tea garden health workers’ orientation programme at the Deanston Tea Estate.
Dr. Towhid Ahmad, Civil Surgeon, Moulvibazar and representatives from NTP, USAID, icddr,b, HEED Bangladesh and local health officials were also present at the inauguration meeting.
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