On 13 July 2016, the Government approved the National Tuberculosis Control Programme (NTP) for the years 2016-2020. Tuberculosis continues to be one of the major health problems in Moldova, therefore the prevention and control of TB is a strategic objective of national order.
In preparing the draft decision of the Government participated an intersectoral working group established by the Ministry of Health that included experts and civil society representatives, including experts from our NGO AFI. The new national program was developed based on the challenges of implementation of the National TB Control Programme for 2011-2015 and the World Health Organization recommendations.
Socioeconomic conditions and insufficient resources of patients with tuberculosis are the constraints that diminish the efficiency of TB control. As a result, the infection continues to be transmitted and resistant tuberculosis is spreading.
The aims of the new program include reducing the burden of TB in Moldova, including drug-resistant tuberculosis, by ensuring universal access to prevention, diagnosis and treatment quality and patient-centered application of strategic interventions.
And among the expected results of this program being implemented are: reducing TB mortality by 35%, reducing costs by 50% for families affected by tuberculosis, achieving detection rate of 85% among cases RR/MDR-TB and providing integrated patient-centered care services, including the use of innovative approaches to increase adherence to treatment, sustainability Plan implementation, and capacity building for effective management of the Programme.
The cost of the program for 5 years is estimated at 3128.6 million and will be co-financed in the first 3 years with financial support from the Global Fund provided to be gradually taken over by the state budget.
Here you can find the draft of the Government Decision on the approval of the National Programme for Control of Tuberculosis for 2016-2020 which contains more details about the program.