Click to enlarge
National TB Control Program (NTP), Ministry of Health Islamabad organized its 2-day Inter-Provincial Meeting recently in Islamabad in order to identify the progress, strengthens, weaknesses, opportunities and challenges faced by the programs in all the provinces and to discuss the future plans of the program.
Dr. Ejaz Qadeer, National Manager, National TB Control Program (NTP) chaired the meeting. The Provincial TB Control Program Managers, NTP Unit Heads, Global Fund Objective Coordinators, M&E Staff and PRL Focal Persons, technical and implementing partners of NTP attended the meeting.
Dr. Ejaz Qadeer, National Manager, NTP in his welcome address briefed the objectives of the meeting and role of NTP under the devolution context. He informed that the main role will be planning, policy guideline, M&E, donor liaison and surveillance. He recommended all Provincial Managers to hold mutual visits in the provinces for experience sharing and strengthening the coordination between the provinces. He also requested PTOs, NPOs and M&E officers to improve TB services, particularly suspect and contact management in their assigned districts.
Regarding the shortage of the drugs, he informed that NTP is striving to get drugs for the TB patients. The emergency GDF grant has been approved and the order has been placed to GFATM for drugs as well. The phase out of the current regimen was also discussed in detail and National Program Manager constituted a committee to prepare phase out plan.
Dr. Munir Raisani, Provincial Program Manager-Baluchistan gave an overview on the progress and Dr. Lubna, Deputy Manager- Baluchistan presented the progress of the Baluchistan province. The main issues discussed were lack of human resource, irrational allocation of POL for NPOs, troublesome procedure for reimbursement of POL for DTC, per diem for quarterly meetings, non availability of pediatric drugs and PPD and TB DOTS in tertiary care hospitals.
Dr. Munir showed concerns on the gaps in coordination with Mercy Corps and EQA in the laboratories. He requested Dr. Ejaz Qadeer to hold a meeting with the Secretary Health, Baluchistan to address the issue of free sputum tests of the patients. He also insisted to revise IDM per diem policy for the Baluchistan, keeping in view the long distances.
Dr. Obaid Hussain, Provincial Program Manager-Khyber Pakhtoonkwa (KP) presented the progress of KP. He shared the main issues including implementation of MDR TB protocols, supply of pediatric drugs, POL for DTC, PTO and NPOs, basic training of health care providers.
Dr. Darakshan Badar, Provincial Program Manager-Punjab presented the progress of the Punjab province. She informed about the main challenges including non-availability of the first line TB drugs and R&R tools, waiting List of MDR TB Patients, reallocation of NPOs districts and strengthening of community DOTS. She requested NTP for their facilitation in the resolution of the issue with PATA.
He showed concern on the deviation from the plan of the peripheral laboratory renovation at some sites. She asked NTP to track the travel claims of DLS and resolve the matter as soon as possible.
Dr. Ismat Ara, Provincial Program Manager-Sindh presented the progress of the Sindh province. She shared the main issues including the shortage of first line drugs, renovation of the BSL laboratory.
Dr. Adil Hameed, Provincial Program Manager-AJK presented the progress of AJK. The main issues, he disused were the availability of the drugs, BSL laboratory, childhood drugs, vacant posts of microbiologist, and deputy head of PRL. He requested NTP for TB/HIV intervention in AJK, provision of 12 microscopes to the AJK and to support AJK TB program.
Dr. Abdul Khaliq, Provincial Program Manager-FATA presented the progress of FATA. He requested for the support for ACSM in general and for World TB Day in particular. He also requested NTP to support FATA as well till the recruitment of NPO and to support for Intra and Inter agency meetings.
Dr. Mobeen, Focal person from Gilgit Baltistan presented the progress in GB. He requested trainings and stationery from NTP.
Dr. Abdul Khalique Ghauri, SPO presented the progress update of the consolidated GF grant. He shared achievements of the timely targets for the training of Doctors and Paramedics, up-gradation of BSL-2 & BSL-3 labs and childhood TB intervention were main challenges. He informed about the enhanced requirements of LFA/GF for verification of data, inventory and assets.
Dr. Zia Dawar, Project Coordinator, Global Fund Round-8 presented the progress on Round-8 and drug management issues. He briefed about the efforts of NTP and DMU for the solution of drug shortage issue. The drug management Performa were shared and re-emphasized with Provincial Managers and PTP Staff as a condition and requirement of the R8 project and LFA. He presented warehouses refurbishment plan and way forward. The tentative time line, items to be supplied to districts and provincial/regional warehouses and list of the districts with the Provincial managers and PTP staff for their concurrence and approval.
The provinces were requested to mobilize district staff (EDO/DTC/NPO) to facilitate NTP in the warehouses refurbishment process. The presentation was followed by an update on the World TB Day by Anwar Chaudhry.
The partners presented their progress update and discussed operational issues. It was communicated to all partners that NTP will not accept any activity or report unless it is endorsed by the respective provincial programs prior to conducting the activities.
Dr. Ghulam Nabi Kazi, WHO in his remarks appreciated the progress of NTP towards achieving MDGs. He reconfirmed the WHO’s commitment for TB Control and assured full support for addressing challenges.
Dr. Sabira presented the prevalence survey update. Dr. Ayub presented the LFA policy on Global Fund for monitoring the activities of PR and SR.