Bangladesh

Tuberculosis is a major public health problem in Bangladesh. The country ranks sixth on the list of the 22 highest burden TB countries. The incidence of TB (all forms) is estimated at 225 per 100,000 per year and the incidence of new smear-positive patients is 101 per 100,000 per year. The TB mortality is estimated at 45 per 100,000 per year. It is also estimated that 3.6% of new and 19% of previously treated patients are suffering from multidrug-resistant tuberculosis (MDR-TB).

Since 1993 the National TB Control Program (NTP), in collaboration with non-governmental organizations (NGOs), has been implementing the DOTS program. By 2003, DOTS services had been established in all 460 upazilas (or sub-districts), at all 44 chest disease clinics (CDCs) and in the six metropolitan cities. Since 2007 NTP has been implementing most components of the Stop TB strategy.

Since 2008 TB CAP supports Bangladesh. FHI is coordinating partner, WHO is collaborating partner with technical lead and the UNION and JATA is collaborating partner with supporting role.

The project will provide support to NTP in program management to improve coordination with city corporation health authorities, policy makers, associations of health professional, private sectors. It also will also make available technical assistance for development of guidelines and plans and support to strengthen laboratory capacities, in scaling up of programmatic management of drug resistant TB and TB infection control measures.

• Strengthen and expand DOTS programs through enhanced leadership and management, ACSM for DOTS expansion, improved diagnostic capacity, scale-up of PMDT and TB Infection Control (IC) measures;
• Increase public and private sector DOTS participation and collaboration;
• Increase and strengthen TB/HIV coordinated activities through improved national policies and coordination between National TB and HIV programs and improved access of persons living with HIV to TB services;
• Improve human and institutional capacity.

TB CAP Project Period (2005-2010)

Expected project outputs:

• Strengthened TB program leadership and management
• Enhanced ACSM for DOTS Expansion
• Improved diagnostic capacity
  • Strengthened culture and DST
  • Strengthened sputum smear microscopy
  • Strengthened diagnostic capacity for EPTB, SS-PTB and childhood TB
• Developed and scaled-up Programmatic Management of Drug Resistant TB (PMDT)
• Scaled-up TB Infection Control (IC) measures at country level
• Increased NTP coordination and collaboration with public and private sectors
• Improved national policies and coordination between National TB and HIV programs
• Improved access of HIV positive TB patients to HIV services
• Improved access of Persons living with HIV to TB services
• Improved human and institutional capacity