Addressing Health System Challenges in Tuberculosis Control in Romania
Context
From October 2018 to March 2021, the Ministry of Health is implementing the program “Addressing Health System Challenges in Tuberculosis Control in Romania”. This program is funded by the Global Fund to Fight AIDS, Tuberculosis, and Malaria through the Transition Grant ROU-T-MOH, with the Ministry of Health as the Principal Recipient. The program receives technical assistance from the World Health Organization.
The program includes key activities aimed at strengthening the Ministry of Health’s capacity to control the tuberculosis (TB) epidemic and improving access for key/vulnerable populations (e.g., people who use injectable drugs, homeless individuals, impoverished populations) to prevention, treatment, and care services for HIV/AIDS, TB, and Hepatitis B and C.
Key activities
Romanian Angel Appeal Foundation serves as the national Sub-recipient, providing support to the Ministry of Health, particularly through national consultants, to implement the following key activities of the program:
- Pilot a New TB Case Management Model: This involves revising the funding mechanism for services to shift the focus from hospital-based care to outpatient care, ensuring a patient-centered continuum of care at the community level.
- Review the Procurement System: This includes updating the procurement system for TB medications and diagnostic tests to enable early diagnosis and ensure continuous treatment in line with the latest WHO recommendations for all TB patients, including those with sensitive, MDR, and XDR forms.
- Develop and Adopt Implementation Guidelines: This involves creating and adopting methodological norms for the implementation of Law 302/2018 on TB control measures, as well as revising secondary legislation and procedures that currently hinder access for vulnerable populations (e.g., people who use injectable drugs, homeless individuals) to diagnostic, treatment, and care services for TB, HIV, and viral Hepatitis B and C.
- Establish an Integrated Services Center: The Bucharest City Hall will establish a center for integrated services for vulnerable groups at risk/affected by HIV, viral Hepatitis B and C, and Tuberculosis.
- Pilot and Adopt an NGO Sub-Contracting Mechanism: This involves the Ministry of Health piloting and adopting a mechanism for subcontracting NGOs to provide services within the national TB and HIV programs.
- Evaluate and Develop the National TB Strategy: This includes evaluating the implementation of the National TB Strategy and developing a new strategy for the period 2021–2030.