23.11.2020

About Implementation of International Projects

   In October 2020, EB Fund alongside with Norwegian partners, summed up the results of 3 Russian-Norwegian projects for the period from June 2019 to September 30, 2020.

   All 3 projects are aimed at improving the epidemiological situation of tuberculosis in the North-West of Russia: In the Republic of Komi, Murmansk Oblast, and the city of Severodvinsk, Arkhangelsk Oblast.

   The project "Reduce the burden of tuberculosis in the Komi Republic" was completed, and its implementation, as planned, lasted 3 years. In 2019, the project managed to implement all the planned activities.

   The implementation of the project activities in 2020 due to Covid-19 pandemic has been changed: during the pandemic, more active use of patient-oriented technologies has begun ( the use of video-observed treatment, home-based treatment). Competence strengthening activities for the medical community have been successfully implemented online.

   The goals for the main indicators during the implementation of the planned activities for 3 years were achieved - in the Republic of Komi, mortality and tuberculosis incidence continue to decrease.

   In June 2019, the implementation of the project "Reduce the burden of tuberculosis in the Murmansk Oblast" began.

   In 2019, the project managed to implement all the planned activities.
As part of the development of patient-oriented technologies, video-observed treatment of patients has been introduced and it is widely used at the outpatient stage now.

   Facilitators of the LHL International held a seminar for medical workers of the TB service on the use of communication skills in working with tuberculosis patients. Specialists of the TB dispensary were trained at the Department of Phthisiopulmonology of Medical University, also participated in the 8th International Congress of the Association of phthisiologists of Russia in St. Petersburg (November 2019) and the International seminar "Access to healthcare for all – Norwegian-Russian cooperation" in Oslo(September 2019).

   The implementation of the project activities in 2020 due to Covid-19 pandemic has been changed: during the pandemic, more active use of patient-oriented technologies has begun ( the use of video-observed treatment, home-based treatment). Competence strengthening activities for the medical community have been successfully implemented online.

   Specialists of the phthisiatric service and the medical community of the Murmansk Oblast understand the importance of implementing the project's activities - this work is aimed at fighting tuberculosis and has positive results - the region continues to reduce the death rate and incidence of tuberculosis.

   Since June 2019, the city of Severodvinsk in the Arkhangelsk Oblast has been implementing a pilot project "Severodvinsk - a City Free From Tuberculosis".

   In 2019-2020, the implementation of the practice of detecting latent tuberculosis infection (LTBI) in TB high risk groups began. These include people living with HIV, homeless people, people in a difficult life situation due to job loss, migrants, TB contacts (family, work, apartment, house). During the period from may 2019 to September 30, 2020, 1,533 patients were examined for LTBI and TB. LTBI was detected in 57 patients they received preventive treatment.

  In 2019, the project managed to implement all the planned activities.

  In 2020, during the pandemic, more active use of patient-oriented technologies began (the use of video-observed treatment, home-based treatment). In 2020 only 3 patients were hospitalized.

   Competence strengthening activities for the medical community have been successfully implemented online.

   The project is currently ongoing and the same with the Covid-19 pandemic.

   Activities of the 2nd year are being implemented. Training of medical workes is done online.

   To reach population from risk groups to the full during the period of restrictive measures seems to be impossible. This can lead to the TB increase rate when the detection and work in tuberculosis foci is back in full.