Tuberculosis

Globally, tuberculosis (TB) is one of the top 10 causes of death. According to the World Health Organization, 10 million people around the world became sick with TB, and 1.5 million died from the disease in 2018. The global End TB Strategy seeks a 95 percent reduction in deaths from TB and a 90 percent reduction in new cases by 2035, compared to 2015. This calls for concerted efforts of governments and partners, and effective coordination of public, private and social sectors.

India and Nigeria carry the highest and sixth highest burdens of TB respectively. India, with 80 percent of estimated cases being notified in 2018, is pushing for TB elimination by 2025. Mechanisms are also in place for engagement of private health care service providers and of affected communities. A key area of need for TB elimination in India is to address social and behavioral challenges and barriers in ways acceptable to people affected by the disease. Nigeria, with 25 percent TB notification reported the same year, has a large, and hitherto untapped, private sector. Engagement of private providers is critical to ensure that screening opportunities are not missed, as this is where persons presumed to have TB first access care. SHOPS Plus supports national TB programs by demonstrating innovative interventions needed to bring down the burden of disease in both these countries.

What We Do

In India, SHOPS Plus supports development of the National TB Elimination Program’s strategy for ending stigma, develops communication creatives across multiple media formats, and conducts a digital campaign on TB-stigma. The project additionally demonstrates integration of TB services with other urban public health verticals, improves access to quality TB services and products through a private e-pharmacy mechanism, and provides technical assistance for the development of state specific strategic plans for TB elimination.

In Nigeria, SHOPS Plus is implementing the National TB program’s public private mix policy by establishing and supporting private provider networks made up of clinical providers, patent medicine vendors, community pharmacists, and private laboratories to detect, diagnose, follow up, and treat TB. Having started this intensive process in two states the program is adapting for sustainability and scaling up a lower cost, light-touch model of this approach in an additional 14 states. The networks are supported through local intermediary organizations in collaboration with the national TB program and technology, such as its TB STARR digital app, which streamlines documentation and shortens the time to treatment of presumptive TB clients.

Countries: India, Nigeria