Development Ratings

In 2008, 12,670 TB, HIV and orphan patients were treated under the partners’ programmes. 1,881 local, ministerial and volunteer health workers were trained during the year in basic TB control management, including symptom identification. They screened over 100,000 people. Around 12 million people were reached across 6 countries with health education information. 7,000 people attended the mobile clinics in 2007 in the eastern province of India. In Bangladesh, the programme has significantly increased TB case detection. The case detection rate is the number of cases identified relative to the estimated number of cases expected for the year. In Bangladesh, case detection rates increased from 40% in 2006 to 71% in 2007, above the WHO target of 70%. Malawi’s case detection rate is 47%, India and Pakistan’s 59%, and East Timor’s 57%. Zambia in 2006 had a case detection rate of 71% but prevalence is increasing due to the HIV epidemic.

Per patient costs are relatively high due to the cost of training. One evaluation report of a pilot project in Malawi showed failings in referral reporting, data collection, and too much health information given at a time. But it also noted increased community knowledge about TB, its curability and the importance of early treatment.