24-09-2018, Djibouti (Djibouti): The Intergovernmental Authority on Development today opened the validation workshop of the Review of National Tuberculosis Programme Guidelines of IGAD Member States in Djibouti.
All IGAD seven member States are represented by officials and experts in charge of TB programmes at Ministries of Health to work on the report of the review which was conducted recently in Member States.
The objectives of the review were to:
- compare the national policies/guidelines related to TB patient diagnosis in IGAD member states;
- compare the drug-susceptible and drug-resistant TB patient treatment and management standards in IGAD member states;
- understand the practices related to patient diagnosis and management in migrant and cross border mobile populations in IGAD member states;
- Propose areas that need guideline/policy harmonization in the region, which would facilitate timely and optimal diagnosis and case management of TB in migrant and cross border mobile populations.
IGAD Senior Health Advisor, Dr Ahmed Hassan, speaking for IGAD Executive Secretary stated that “IGAD’s TB, HIV and Malaria Strategic Plan 2018-2025, which was endorsed by the Ministers of Health of IGAD Member States in March 2018, clearly outlined the necessity to align country TB guidelines policies of the member states”. He appreciated the support provided by USAID East Africa through the Challenge TB project (CTB).
Dr Ahmed acknowledged the crucial role played by Netherlands based KNCV Tuberculosis Foundation during the review before adding that the two-day meeting will focus on:
- presenting findings of the guidelines review;
- reviewing and validating the findings; and
- agreeing on appropriate actions for the future.
Ms Mayra Arias, Technical Coordinator for Access to care Unit at KNVC tuberculosis Foundation and Dr Abraham Alemayehu of the National TB Control Programme at the Ministry of Health of Ethiopia took the floor during the opening session expressed their satisfaction on how the assessment went and their conviction that the meeting will bear fruits before Ms Hawa Hassa Guessod, Coordinator of the National TB Programme at the Ministry of Health of Djibouti, declared the meeting officially open.
