Author: technobros_admin

With the financial support of STOP TB Partnership REACH Ethiopia is working to introduce Ultra portable digital X-ray system with AI to assist the TB screening and Diagnose TB among Key affected population. The technology will have a significant contribution on reaching of unreached key affected population and overcoming the issues related with screening/diagnosis of TB by using X-ray. The technology will step-up the country TB by introducing X-ray with AI to the routine activity. REACH Ethiopia hasintroduced the first machine to the country and demonstrated the system application to its field team on September 05, 2022. REACH Ethiopia will use an FDR Xair machine which is one the systems that is included in GDF list and got WHO’s approval.

FDR Xair is Ultra light, compact, battery-powered and portable digital X-ray machine;it combines deep learning in its artificial intelligence (AI) technology with Fujifilm’s image processing heritage. The machine is easy to carry, handle and operate that facilitates successful diagnoses in various medical settings, serving patients with limited mobility or people living in inaccessible geographies. In near future two additional machines will be imported and used to support the TB program in Addis Ababa, Dire Dawa and Harari. REACH Ethiopia would like to thank STOP-TB partnership for financial and technical support, NTP, USAID-Ethiopia, Addis Ababa City Administration Health Bureau and all our partners for their technical support, directions and encouragement.

The machine has the following important features:

• Lightweight at around 3.5 kg;
• Works without a power source;
• Built-in lithium polymer battery;
• Can take 100+ images on a single charge;
• Highly durable LED light source

It can be used in various settings such us:

• Out-of-hospital settings, like patients’ home visit and nursing care;
• A place without a power source like natural disaster sites;
• where power failures are caused due to earthquakes;
• For uses in clinics and isolation wards

As explained above, on September 5, 2022, general introduction training about the machine was conducted for REACH Ethiopia Addis Ababa and Central office staff and in the near future we will deliver the service to users in selected places.

If you want detailed information about the machine and related issues, Please use the following links.

https://xairbyfujifilm.com/


https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=uLIcAcCsqds

This project is going to be implemented at national level in collaboration with Ministry of Health/National TB program, Ethiopian Public Health Institute, Regional Health Bureau and Regional Reference Laboratories.

During the event the project objectives, goals and major findings from 120 Lab-Xpert platform implementation sites are presented and discussed.

Minister of Health Dr.Lia Tadesse, MOH-Disease Prevention and Control Director Mrs. Hiwot Solomon, National TB program Coordinator Mr. Taye Leta, Participants from Ethiopian Public Health Institute, Regional Health Bureaus & Regional Laboratory officials, Different partners and stakeholders are attend the event.

REACH Ethiopia awarded this project from Stop TB Partnership. The key activity of the project is optimizing the TB diagnostic practice and its connectivity specifically the current GeneXpert connectivity using the real time connectivity platform with the goal of contributing for the national efforts to achieve END TB 90(90)90 milestone set for 2023.

Basic National Comprehensive TB, TB/HIV & DR-TB training for private healthcare workers conducted for five days from May 10 – 14 ,2022 at IVY Hotel, Bishoftu. USAID Urban TB LON Project / REACH Ethiopia organized the training in collaboration with Addis Ababa City Administration Health Bureau.

This training package was developed based on the national guidelines for clinical and programmatic management of TB, DR-TB, and TB/HIV. The overall goal of the training was to enable clinical providers attain the knowledge and skills required to provide quality diagnostic and treatment services to patients suffering from TB, DR-TB and TB/HIV.

At the end, the trainees were certified for successful completion of the training by Tirunesh Beijing General Hospital CPD centre under AACAHB.

REACH Ethiopia signed agreement with Ministry of Health National TB Program through the support of the GlobalFund as a Sub-recipient (SR) to achieve the objective of removing human rights and gender related barriers to TB services by Community Mobilization and Advocacy interventions.

In line with this, on May 13, 2022, REACH Ethiopia in collaboration with Ministry of Health launched “Removing human rights and gender related barriers to TB services” project at IVY Hotel, Bishoftu. Representatives from Ministry of Health, TB Survivor Associations, CSOs, media and different stakeholders attended the launching workshop. It was conveyed that improving community awareness and health care worker attitude on stigma, discrimination and gender is the main objective of the project and will significantly contribute towards the end TB goal by improving access to TB services.

REACH Ethiopia conducted Semi-Annual review meeting of USAID Urban TB LON Project from May 4 – 5, 2022 @ Dire Hotel, Adama. The purpose of the meeting was to retain learning in the implementation process, share experiences and identify areas requiring especial emphases for a better performance.

During the meeting, updates on the overall Urban TB LON Project Performance, Technical support updates: plans for the coming quarter, challenges and future directions were discussed. Sub-city coordinators of Addis Ababa and regional coordinator for Harar and Diredawa presented their respective activities and shared their experience for the plenary. Outstanding success stories were shared by the project team and anticipated potential risks were discussed for possible mitigation plan.

REACH Ethiopia has been awarded the CFCS round 10 grants to improve health care seeking among urban poor, patient-provider interactions, community TB service monitoring & resource allocation by implementing advocacy, communication & engaging TB affected community. This project will be implemented at community level, targeting urban poor, raising their awareness/knowledge and improve health seeking behaviour, to ensure social sustainability at individual and community level.

In line with this, Challenge Facility for Civil Society Round: 10 project Introduction and Assessment Finding Dissemination Workshop was organized by REACH Ethiopia in collaboration with Addis Ababa City administration Health Bureau. To ensure the presence of all stakeholders the workshop was held in two roundson April 1&4, 2022 at IVY Hotel, Bishoftu, Ethiopia

The objective of the workshop was to familiarize staff of REACH Ethiopia and partners (Region Health Bureau and four civil society Organizations) with project scope, purpose, outcome and key activities. The findings from the assessment conducted in selected Health facilities and patients on TB treatment wasdisseminated for the audience to give highlight onstigma status in the community. It has been successfully concluded by presentations and discussions carried out during the meeting.

The 16^th Annual TB research conference and world TB day commemoration celebration has been carried out from 21^st to 24^th 2022 in Hawassa, Ethiopia. Federal ministry of health state minster, national TB program officials, Regional and city administration health bureau officials, different international and national organizations working on TB , Neighbouring  country TB Program representatives and Researchers working towards achieving the national TB program have been part of the event. Policymakers, higher education institutions and partner organizations have also joined the commemoration and made the event very informative and colourful.

On this annual TB research conference and world TB day commemoration, different TB projects implemented by REACH Ethiopia were introduced for conference participants through promotional materials.Active TB case finding experience of USAID Urban TB LON Project was also presented by the project technical lead. Such platforms help REACH Ethiopia to disseminate information to larger community (TB program actors and academia) and share experiences with different organizations.

#The 16th Annual TB Research conference and #World TB day commemoration

#March 21-24,2022@Hawassa,Ethiopia

#”Invest to End TB. Save Lives.”

#World TB day March24,2022#

#REACH Ethiopia#

#USAID Urban TB LON Project#

The Federal prisons administration manages 6 prisons nationwide. The combination of overcrowding, poor ventilation and lack of adequate TB screening led prisons into a breeding ground and incubator for Mycobacterium tuberculosis. The transmission of the bacteria does not end with the prisoners but also to the staff of the prison with frequent and unprotected contacts.

 Underpinning this reality, one of the World TB Day commemoration activities by REACH Ethiopia through USAID Urban TB LON Project was performing mass screening and awareness creation to the prison community. The mass screening campaign was launched on Monday, 14th March 2022 at Kaliti prison prisons administration and continued the mass screening campaign for ten consecutive days. Ministry of health, Addis Ababa City Administration Health Bureau and St. Peter’s specialized hospital had accompanied REACH Ethiopia in this activity.

• Blogs
• Old Blogs
• Our News
• Uncategorized

By the ten consecutive day’s mass screening campaign, a total of 3002 prisoners and the staff members were reached through symptomatic TB screening.  342 prisoners were found to be presumptive TB cases and samples were collected and evaluated. Among these, 8  confirmed TB cases were detected.