Stop TB Partnership launches tools on TB and COVID-19
26 March 2020, Geneva, Switzerland - As the COVID-19 pandemic spreads across the world, countries are rushing to put in place strategies to ease the burden on health systems and to mitigate disruption in routine health services. The current social distancing and stay-at-home measures will make it particularly challenging for tuberculosis (TB) programmes to provide the necessary diagnosis, treatment and care for the people and communities affected by TB.
In light of this situation, the Stop TB Partnership, together with our partners, created an initial portfolio of tools, content and resources to help support people with TB and TB programmes during the COVID-19 pandemic and beyond.
1. To ensure no disruptions of TB services, the TB programmes will have to identify and rely on alternative options, such as virtual care, digital health, and community-monitoring solutions, to bring the required TB services, without any delays and interruptions, as close as possible to the people and communities affected by TB.
- Rapid Information Note on how TB programmes can change to virtual mode. This is a first of its kind compilation of digital technologies, virtual care, teleradiology, artificial intelligence-based chest X-ray readers, laboratory connected diagnostics systems, digital adherence platforms such as video supporting treatment, medication sleeves, smart pills boxes, and digital community-based monitoring tools.
- Re-imagining TB Care to assist TB programmes and innovators on how to leverage next generational healthtech solutions to transform when, where, and how service providers and people affected by TB can provide and access care. This website includes an initial mapping and database of available digital health, virtual care, and community-monitoring solutions across the TB care model and country profiles on how some countries have rolled-out some of these technologies. Developed in partnership with the McGill International TB Centre and the Arcady Group.
- OneImpact solution - a digital community-based monitoring alert system that is used by people and communities affected by TB to track and troubleshoot, in real-time, issues related to the availability and accessibility of quality TB services due to COVID-19. The technology has an integrated feedback loop mechanism to inform TB programmes of potential and current gaps for them to rapidly respond and ensure the continuity of quality TB services for the people and communities affected by TB. Developed in partnership with community partners and Dure Technologies.
- Virtual innovation spotlights - webinars and town halls will be organized on the various virtual care, digital health, and community-based monitoring solutions currently available for TB programmes.
2. The Stop TB Partnership "TB and COVID-19" webpage includes: suggested actions for people with TB and TB programmes in the context of COVID-19; guidelines and recommendations issued by WHO, Global Fund, and other TB stakeholders; national-level guidance on TB and COVID-19 as issued by different governments and TB programmes, dashboards and data on TB and COVID-19.
3. A one-minute Online Survey for TB stakeholders, front line service providers and affected communities to rapidly assess the impact of COVID-19 on access and continuity of TB services. We acknowledge that other groups are also doing surveys to monitor the situation. We hope that these tools will be of use in these unprecedented challenging times. Stay safe, stay in solidarity with health care workers and people affected by TB and COVID-19.
Stop TB Partnership Secretariat