TB Screening – Organisation of an early tuberculosis detection programme for vulnerable populations
Context
The project “TB SCREENING – organisation of an early tuberculosis detection programme for vulnerable populations” aims to contribute significantly to improving public health by implementing a national screening programme for the early detection of tuberculosis (TB) among vulnerable groups.
Tuberculosis remains a major public health issue, and early case detection can significantly reduce its impact, especially in communities with limited access to healthcare services.
The project, with a total value of RON 40,355,358.78, is funded through the European Health Programme managed by the Ministry of European Funds, with co-financing from the Ministry of Health. It is implemented and coordinated by the “Marius Nasta” Institute of Pneumology, in partnership with the National Institute of Public Health and two non-governmental organisations – the Romanian Angel Appeal Foundation and the Centre for Health Policies and Services.
Objectives
The overall objective of the project “TB Screening – organisation of an early tuberculosis detection programme for vulnerable populations” is to improve the quality of primary healthcare services, community-based services, outpatient care, and to strengthen preventive services.
The project aims to achieve this overall objective through the following specific objectives:
- Developing the capacity of the TB screening programme by updating/developing two key tools: one screening methodology and one training curriculum;
- Implementing training activities for 501 professionals involved in the prevention and early detection of tuberculosis (TB screening), as well as conducting information, counselling, mobilisation, education, and awareness activities for 75,001 people from vulnerable target groups;
- Conducting national-level screening activities for the early detection of TB among 75,001 individuals from vulnerable target groups;
- Analysing the data obtained from the screening process using specific statistical methods, and developing studies and reports, while also improving accessibility – including for persons with disabilities -by ensuring a professional, cost-efficient, and sustainable framework for implementing these measures.
Activities
Benefits for the target group
The project aims to provide preventive healthcare services and early detection of TB (TB screening) for 75,001 persons belonging to vulnerable/socio-economically disadvantaged groups/communities with a high level of vulnerability, located in the 8 development regions and who, at the time of enrolment, belong to one of the following categories:
- persons belonging to vulnerable/disadvantaged groups
- persons with disabilities;
- persons with mental health problems;
- disadvantaged ethnic minorities;
- minor mothers (aged up to 18 years);
- migrants/refugees;
- drug users;
- persons infected with HIV/AIDS;
- chronic alcohol users;
- persons in detention/deprived of liberty/pre-trial detention and from other correctional institutions;
- persons chronically hospitalised in psychiatric units;
- persons from elderly homes, medical residential centres;
- socio-economically disadvantaged persons (e.g. uninsured persons; beneficiaries of minimum inclusion income; homeless persons; persons living in overcrowded households or without sanitary facilities, etc.);
- persons living in communities with a high level of vulnerability (persons living in marginalised communities according to the report: “Marginalised socio-economic areas in urban and rural Romania” developed by the Ministry of Labour and Social Solidarity within the project “Development of analysis and intervention tools at community level for the 2021–2027 programming period”, funded through POCA 2014–2020).
Also, the project aims to carry out training activities for 501 specialists involved/potentially involved in TB prevention and early detection (TB screening), coming from public institutions/general practitioners from all 8 development regions of Romania: community nurses, nurses, health mediators, social workers, psychologists, general practitioners, specialist doctors.
Results
Section under update
