The [him] moderator would like to post the paper on which this abstract is based if it is emailed to [him]. How are drug users screened for tuberculosis?
[him] moderator
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Prioritizing TB as major component in six sites' harm reduction programs in Myanmar
Yin Min Thaung
Issue: Most Harm Reduction service provisions are often only focused on HIV related interventions. Tuberculosis treatment and care is perceived as too much of a challenge among drug users with bad adherence quoted as the excuse. AHRN Myanmar included Tuberculosis screening, treatment and care in its ongoing services, opening the way for more holistic services.
Setting: For over a century, Myanmar has been a major producer of opium. As a result the use, either through smoking or injecting, of opiates has been endemic in parts of the country. A 2009 population size exercise estimates that there are 75,000 IDUs, not including those that use other routes of administration. HIV prevalence among IDUs is estimated at 43% while TB/HIV co-infection is also a serious health issue within this target group.
Project: To address the risk of dual infection, AHRN implemented since 2008 TB screening and treatment in its existing programmes. To enhance the treatment, nutritional support is provided through collaboration with the World Food Programme. Since treatment adherence among drug users is more challenging, own DOTS services, psychosocial support and self-support groups are linked closely with the medical services. An inter-agency referral protocol ensures integration of VCCT through existing HIV and ART providing services, in particular, MSF-Holland and the National AIDS program to get optimal treatment for TB/HIV co-infection.
Outcomes: Before 2008, no one was treated for TB and only 7 drug users could access ART from MSF-Holland. After one year of integrating TB services, over 750 drug users were screened, and 93 treated for TB, while 45 drug users are receiving ART through referral. The inclusion of TB and inter-agency referral impacts greatly in enhancing harm reduction services, especially on the access to ART, Anti-TB Treatment and MMT for those drug users co-infected with TB/HIV.
http://ihraconferences.com/2010/index.php?page=browseSessions&presentations=show&form_session=100&abstracts=show
