TB CARE II

TB CARE II complements existing and planned projects in the Bureau for Global Health to provide global leadership and support to national TB programs (NTPs) and other in-country partners. The project assists these stakeholders to accelerate the implementation of TB DOTS, TB/HIV, and programs for the programmatic management of drug resistant TB. TB CARE II can help countries scale up evidence-based interventions and improve outcomes in TB prevention and control in USAID TB Priority countries. The partnership brings extensive expertise in strengthening TB services, including establishing community-based multi-drug resistant (MDR) TB prevention and treatment strategies. USAID Missions can procure TA and support services from the URC-led TB CARE II partnership through field support mechanisms.

At the global level, TB CARE II is supporting a number of core activities in universal access, the prevention of MDR-TB, infection control, TB/HIV, and health systems strengthening.

• In Bangladesh, TB CARE II is supporting the NTP’s goal of reducing morbidity, mortality, and transmission of TB until the disease is no longer a national public health issue. This effort focuses on achieving universal access to directly observed therapy through community efforts, strengthening TB monitoring and evaluation, reducing the incidence of MDR-TB by supporting infection control measures and community-based treatment models, and strengthening management capacity at all levels.
• In Malawi, TB CARE II is working at the national level to strengthen the laboratory network, strengthen the NTP centrally, and pilot novel diagnostics. At the district level, the project is implementing a comprehensive set of interventions, including integration of antiretroviral therapy (ART) into the TB program, training community health workers in TB/HIV intervention, expanding the smear microscopy network, and upgrading infrastructure in selected facilities to accommodate increased HIV testing and counseling and ART for TB patients.