The fourth week of March marked a significant and action-packed period for Ethiopia’s National TB Program (NTP). Through three major events, REACH Ethiopia showcased its unwavering commitment and technical leadership as a primary partner in the national effort to end TB.
1. Assessing Progress: Bi-Annual Program Review
The week commenced with a comprehensive bi-annual evaluation of the TB, Leprosy, and Lung Disease Program. This review provided a critical platform to assess performance over the past six months, celebrate successes, and identify strategic areas for improvement to ensure national targets remain on track.
2. 20th Annual TB Research Conference (TRAC) – Silver Jubilee
At this year’s landmark Silver Jubilee of the TRAC conference, REACH Ethiopia demonstrated its research excellence. Out of more than 100 submissions, two of the 27 selected papers originated from our team—a testament to our evidence-based approach.
- Cost-Effective Diagnostics: Dr. Hilina Mekete (Deputy Chief of Party, Urban TB LON II) presented an operational study comparing Pooled GeneXpert (4:1 ratio) versus TB-LAMP for mass screening. While both methods showed 100% accuracy, the pooled GeneXpert strategy emerged as the more economical choice ($136 per case detected vs. $197 for TB-LAMP). The study recommends this scalable, resource-efficient model for high-burden, resource-limited settings.
- Strategic Investment: Dr. Tamiru Assefa (Chief of Party, Urban TB LON II) led a plenary session on the SWIF-TB initiative. This project, supported by the U.S. State Department and the Ethiopian Ministry of Health, focuses on high-impact investments in TB hotspot areas.
Recognition of Excellence: During the conference, REACH Ethiopia was honored with the TRAC Community Award in recognition of its exceptional contributions toward the national “End TB” strategy.
Throughout the event, our dedicated booth also served as a hub for participants to engage with our project teams and learn more about our ongoing initiatives.
3. World TB Day: Action in Shaggar City
To conclude the week, REACH Ethiopia joined the national World TB Day commemoration in Shaggar City. We moved beyond advocacy into direct action by conducting:
- Awareness creation sessions for the local community.
- Active TB case finding and screenings in Mana Abichu Sub-City.
Looking Forward
These milestones reinforce REACH Ethiopia’s dedication to a TB-free nation. By combining rigorous research with community-level intervention, we continue to move closer to our vital goals.
Yes! We Can End TB. Led by the Government. Powered by the People.
