REACH Ethiopia is engaged in Tuberculosis (TB), Maternal and eHealth projects. The prior project – innovative community based approaches for enhanced case finding and treatment outcome with the aim of increasing accessibility to TB diagnosis and treatment in particular has significantly contributed to prevention and control efforts in the region and the country.
https://www.fhi.no/en/cristin-projects/ongoing/tb-cluster-study-sidama-ethiopia-a-population-based-prospective-cohort-stud/
This intervention is part of TB prevention and control program and study for three years; funded by Norwegian Institute of Public Health in collaboration with Norwegian Health Association to conduct population based case finding to improve TB case identification and improving health care utilization of the community for inaccessible and disadvantaged rural community by strengthening primary health care structure of Ethiopian health system.
Key interventions
- Strengthening primary health care unit: linkage of health centers to health posts
- Implementing community based TB identification using Health Extension Workers (HEWs), Health Development Armies (HDAs) and other community structures
- Sensitization and capacity building training with stakeholders and strengthening monitoring and evaluation
Strengthening Primary Health Care Unit: training
Primary health care unit comprises of a health center (HC) and satellite health posts (HP). It provides service to a population of about 25,000 by providing preventive and curative services. TB diagnosis and treatment is done at this level. Health post is the satellite health facility providing services to 5,000 populations in the community. They are mainly engaged in case finding and supporting treatment. Training was given to more than 76 HEWs and 36 health workers from HC before cascading the intervention of community case finding, moving house to house and identify presumptive TB cases in the district.
