Accelerating TB/HIV activities in Rwanda

Follow up on the Washington DC TB/HIV meeting

Jules Mugabo MDTRAC/MOH-Rwanda

Participation in TB/HIV meeting in March 2007

• Dr Michel Gasana – PNILT• Dr Jules Mugabo – TRAC• Mme Eliane Kamanzi – LNR• Dr Aliou Ayaba – CDC• Dr Greet Vandebriel – Columbia University /PNILT

1. Debriefing

• Meetings were held with USG, MOH and TB/HIV working group to brief on the recommendations of the meeting and plan next steps:

2. Lab assessment

• An expert from CDC visited Rwanda from 4 – 12 June for:– Meet with PNILT/TRAC/NRL on strengthening

and expansion of TB lab capacity– Assessment of NRL and Butare University lab– Evaluate quality assurance for TB microscopy

3. Planning for COP07 plus up funds

• Upgrading of TB lab at NRL including– Infection control – New techniques (liquid culture, PCR)– Increase human resource capacity

• Establish a second TB cultrure lab at Butare• Change from Kinyoun staining to Ziehl Nielsen• Enhance QA, transport of samples and on site

supervision

4. Coordination with partners

• Meetings were held with TB/HIV focal persons from Global Fund and USG/WHO for complementarity in funding– Infection control training (June 5-9, 2007)– Elaboration of infection control guidelines for

Rwanda– Training in interpretation of chest X-rays

(June 27 – July 8, 2007)

Next steps

• Identify activities to be funded in COP08 (July-Aug)

• More detailed plan to be done in September