USAID Defeat TB Project

TASO is part of a USAID-funded consortium led by University Research Co, LLC, to implement a five-year (2017 2022) USAID Defeat TB Project. Other partners include Infectious Disease Institute (IDI) and 6 CSOs. 

The project aims to increase Tuberculosis (TB) case notification, case detection and treatment outcomes through health system strengthening with the aim of ending the TB epidemic in Uganda. This is achieved through providing technical assistance to the National TB and Leprosy Programme (NTLP), direct technical assistance to the sub-national structures, the districts of Kampala, Wakiso and Mukono and drug resistant TB treatment sites including Mulago National Referral Hospital DR-TB unit, Arua, Soroti, Hoima, Masaka, Mubende and Fort Portal Regional Referral Hospital. The project also collaborates with regional mechanisms to provide indirect technical assistance to Mbarara, Kabale, Lira, Gulu, Iganga, Mbale, Kitgum, Matany and any additional sites in USAID supported regions.

The key Defeat TB result objectives include:

1. To increase screening and detection of all forms of tuberculosis in infants, children, adolescents, and adults at facility and community levels

2. To initiate and complete treatment for all patients diagnosed with all forms of TB

3. To ensure strong community systems to support the continuum of TB prevention, screening, diagnosis, care, and treatment

4. To enhance leadership and technical capacity of the TB program at national and sub-national levels to effectively guide and manage implementation of TB control activities.

TASO’s mandate is primarily Objective 3 and contributes to attainment of the other project objectives.2

This mandate is achieved through:

(a) Engagement and capacity building of community linkage facilitators attached to large volume sites in Kampala, Wakiso & Mukono

(b) Community TB case finding interventions: Contact tracing, targeted and hotspot screening

(c) TB patient education, adherence support and follow up

(d) Community M&E and GIS mapping

(e) Technical assistance to NTLP and regional IPs

(f) Social and behavioral change communication for improved service uptake and TB stigma reduction

(g) Community sputum sample transportation and referral

(h) Community leadership engagement