2009 USAID Press Releases
The Conference on Role of Mass-media in Tuberculosis Control Took Place in Tashkent (01/29/2009)
The conference: «The role of Mass-media in Tuberculosis Control» was held in the hotel «Shodlik Palace» in Tashkent on January 29th, 2009. The organizers of the conference were the Ministry of Health of Uzbekistan, The U.S. Agency for International Development (USAID) program on TB control, implemented by Project HOPE and the International Retraining Centre of Journalists (ICJ).
The Conference is a final event within the framework of the joint project «Fight against the tuberculosis: Use of mass-media resources». This project was implemented in Uzbekistan from February till December, 2008 with the purpose to involve journalists to large-scale information campaign among the population, dedicated to prophylaxis and treatment of this disease. During the project implementation there were provided several trainings in Tashkent, Samarkand and Andijan. More than 100 journalists from many regions of Uzbekistan participated at the trainings.
Within the framework of the project the International Centre of Journalists, Republican DOTS Centre of the Ministry of Health of Uzbekistan with the assistance of USAID-funded program on TB control, implemented by Project HOPE conducted a competition for journalists. There were 4 nominations – Radio, TV, Printing and the Internet - materials.
Some tens the authors, who presented the creative works, took part in the competition. These were informative messages about project activities and DOTS implementation in Uzbekistan. Also analytical materials dedicated to such vital topics, as timely detection of TB, increasing population’s knowledge about the symptoms of tuberculosis, advantages of the treatment recommended by WHO, social protection TB patients and other socially significant questions.
The most interesting materials were regularly published on web site of ICJ. Competition juries noted special activeness of journalists from Tashkent, Bukhara, Samarkand, Andijan, Fergana, Nukus, Chirchik, Almalyk. During the conference «The role of Mass-media in Tuberculosis Control» winners of the creative competition were awarded with diplomas and valuable prizes.
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The USAID-funded Program on TB control in Uzbekistan
(Fact Sheet)
Based on the agreements with the Ministry of Health of the Republic of Uzbekistan and the National Tuberculosis Institute, Project HOPE is implementing the USAID-funded Program on TB control in Uzbekistan.
The U.S. Agency for International Development (USAID) program on TB control, implemented by Project HOPE, began assisting the Government of Uzbekistan in strengthening the National Tuberculosis Control Program in 2000. From 2000-2004 this program assisted the Ministry of Health in laying the foundations for restructuring the National Tuberculosis Control Program of Uzbekistan according to the “Stop TB” strategy (at that time the strategy was still called ‘DOTS’ strategy). Starting 2004, USAID’s program on TB control, implemented by Project HOPE, has been assisting the Ministry of Health in its efforts to restructure the TB Control Program. Assistance focuses on:
1. Building support for the internationally recommended “Stop TB” strategy
2. Improving human and systems capacity for TB control
3. Raising health provider and community awareness on TB
Currently, the USAID-funded program, implemented by Project HOPE works in 10 pilot sites across the country: Chilanzar and Shayhontohur (Akmal-Ikramov) rayons in Tashkent City, Samarkand City and Urgut rayon of Samarkand Oblast, Yangier City and Syrdarya rayon of Syrdarya Oblast, Fergana City and Fergana rayon of Fergana Oblast, Andijan City, and Namangan City.
The program conducts training courses for health providers and decision-makers (managers at rayon and oblast level), organizes informational-educational campaigns among TB patients and general population, monitors and evaluates effectiveness of work, and provides modern laboratory and office equipment in the pilots. All activities are aimed at strengthening political support for efficient and stable tuberculosis control at all levels, developing human resources and an institutional system to control tuberculosis, increasing population’s knowledge about the symptoms of tuberculosis and encouraging them to seek timely medical care.
Since 2004, this USAID-funded program has been implemented by a group of organizations with rich experience in health sector, led by Project HOPE: John Snow Inc., John Hopkins Bloomberg School of Public Health/Center for Communication Programs, New Jersey Medical School National Tuberculosis Center, and the British Imperial College.
All activities of this USAID-funded program in Uzbekistan are closely coordinated with the Ministry of Health, Republican DOTS Center (RDC), National TB Research Institute (NTRI) of the Republic of Uzbekistan, and other local and international partners.
Project HOPE is an international health foundation “People-To-People” established in 1958 and over 50 years conducting training programs in a health sphere. Its head office is located in the USA, Virginia.
The U.S. Agency for International Development (USAID) is a U.S. Government agency that provides development assistance to over 100 countries around the world. Since 1993, USAID has been assisting the Government of Uzbekistan and other entities to further agriculture and other sectors of the country’s economy and improve healthcare system. USAID operates under a bilateral agreement with the Government of Uzbekistan, and through the years has been one of the leading donor organizations in Uzbekistan