Due to the COVID-19 Pandemic there is an urgent need to talk with the main TB stakeholders on issues related to the protection of rights for TB patients in High MDR-TB countries.
The Head of the Tajik National Caucus Mr Jamshed led this discussion with the National TB Program Manager, a representative from WHO country office, CSO representatives (mainly Stop TB Partnership and MSF), alongside seven Members of Parliament, members of the Tajik National Caucus.
Parliamentarians drew attention to the importance of being informed by partners in order to respond in time to the challenges that may arise in the country regarding the fight against TB and COVID.
During the call, many issues were raised including:
- Up-to-date information on the situation of protection of TB patients' rights in the context of a pandemic;
- Country's ability to detect coronavirus cases;
- The role of civil society in supporting the National TB Program Manager in a crisis;
- The possibility of using the sputum transport systems for COVID response. The extent of it having an impact on TB testing capacity;
- Impacting of COVID for using of GeneXpert machines, the possible decrease in capacity for TB testing as a result and the possibility of GeneXpert machines to be moved to more centralized locations for COVID testing;
- Resources of Global Fund, which could be used to address COVID. The possibility of using these GF resources to complement or strengthen any TB (HIV/Malaria) activities.
For more informations, please find the agenda, outcomes and video recording of the call here.