The launch of the National Strategic Plan for Tuberculosis, Leprosy and Lung Health 2015 – 2018 was held on March 19, 2015 in Nairobi.
With support from CHS through, the USAID funded Tuberculosis Accelerated Response and Care (TB ARC) activity and other TB control partners, the National Tuberculosis, Leprosy and Lung Disease Program (NTLD-Program) hosted over 300 participants to a colourful launch of the strategic plan that aims to reduce the burden of lung disease and render Kenya free of Tuberculosis and Leprosy.
The launch, that took place a few days before the commemoration of World Tuberculosis Day on March 24, was held in the spirit of 2015’s World TB Day Global Theme, “Reach, Treat, Cure Everyone,” and Kenya’s 2015 World TB Day slogan “Is that cough TB? Get tested! Get cured!” to raise awareness about prevention, diagnosis, and treatment of TB.
Speaking at the launch, US Ambassador to Kenya, Robert Godec said that as a long-time partner of the Government of Kenya in the fight against TB, over the past five years as part of an effort to ensure Kenyans are healthier and able to contribute to their country’s development.
“Representatives from across the U.S. government supported the implementation of the Ministry of Health’s previous strategic plan which ended in 2015. Among the achievements for that period, the staff of 1,800 laboratories was trained to better diagnose TB, and over 2,000 health care workers were trained to diagnose TB earlier and start patients on life-saving anti-TB medicines,” he added.
Ambassador Godec acknowledged TB Nurse Naomi Wanjiru; a dedicated health worker working at a CHS supported facility in Nyandarua County, who became infected with TB while carrying out her duties. After a long but successful course of treatment, she was cured and was able to return to work to care for other TB patients at Engineer District Hospital’s TB clinic, which had been improved to improve infection prevention and control with support from the US President’s Emergency Fund for AIDS Relief (PEPFAR) through CDC. Read Naomi Wanjiru’s story.
With a focus on transition of implementation of TB control activities through 47 counties, the NSP 2015 – 2018, is innovative and promises to continue Kenya’s role as a global pathfinder.
The document further details ways in which Kenya will sustain the gains made in TB, Leprosy and lung disease control thus far, and the tailoring of interventions to respond to county specific disease patterns.
The strategic priorities for the NSP include:
• Identification and treatment all cases of TB, MDR-TB, Paediatric TB and Leprosy
• Engaging all care providers
• Promoting and strengthening community engagement
• Enhancing the multi-sectoral response to TB/HIV
• Accelerating appropriate diagnosis
• Ensuring stable and quality supply of all commodities
• Enhancing evidence-based programme monitoring and evaluation
• Creating an enabling, multi-sectoral environment
• Supporting devolution
With funding from the American people through USAID, CHS will continue to support the NTLD-Program in the implementation of the NSP 2015-2018 through support for strategic TB program coordination efforts and stewardship, acceleration of evidence-based activities to scale-up new technologies that work e.g. GeneXpert, as well as the use of ICT for better TB data management and use. Read more about the TB ARC activity.
Download the National Strategic Plan for TB, Leprosy and Lung Health 2015-2018