Tuberculosis control and prevention

Plan collaborates with governments on a number of tuberculosis-related activities designed to increase awareness of TB and improve diagnosis, treatment and prevention of the disease.

TB is highly contagious and, while mostly affecting young adults in their most productive years, results in the deaths of over 1 million people each year.

Reducing TB in Senegal

Between 2002 and 2006, Plan implemented a community-based TB and malaria project in the districts of Khombole, Louga, and Nioro in Senegal.

In partnership with a Norwegian NGO and the government of Senegal, we developed lab infrastructure, trained central level staff, and enhanced its drug supply system. We also supported the Ministry of Health (MoH) of Senegal with community-level activities including providing logistical support and recruiting community health promoters.

In addition to helping strengthen MoH activities in the three districts, the project provided community-based organizations (CBOs) with seed funding, training and support for inventory, logistics, bookkeeping and purchasing.

By the end of the project:

• Number of people who reported hearing about TB increased from 72% to 94%;
• Knowledge of modes of transmission increased;
• Effectiveness of TB treatment dispelled beliefs related to “bad spirits” and led to beliefs of curability;
• Treatment prevented infectivity and thus patients did not need to be isolated; and
• Early screening of the disease made treatment easier and minimized stigmatization.