TB reduced through targeted action and ample resources

Red Cross Serbia reach populations most at risk to implement the national TB programme

In five years, with Global Fund support, the number of people falling ill with TB has seen a 25 percent decrease from 2,850 per year to 2,150. Serbia is confident it can lower the number of new cases per year to less than 25 per 100,000 people by the end of 2009, totaling around 1,900.

Serbia's health service has made a rapid recovery. With the regional conflicts in the 1990s, Serbia's fight against tuberculosis took a blow. Limited resources and a population in turmoil made it difficult for doctors to follow up on patients' treatment.

In 2002 the disease was recognized as a public health threat by the Ministry of Health and the following year a National TB committee was created. A $4m grant was implemented in 2004 and since then the country’s health care professionals have not looked back. Two major factors help to explain Serbia's success in fighting TB: targeting high risk groups and giving adequate resources to medical professionals.

There has been an improvement in TB control in specific high-risk population groups among refugees and internally displaced people, the Roma people and convicted criminals in prison. A significant achievement of the programme is that data is now available on the area outside the capital city.
 

Dr. Natasa Lazarevic is the Project Coordinator of the Control of Tuberculosis in Serbia Project at the Ministry of Health. Identifying the population at risk through Red Cross activities Listen to the Interview Windows Media 405KB| MP3 1 MB Read the transcript

Medical staff now have the training and equipment they need to adequately treat TB.

Doctors, nurses and lab staff now have sufficient resources, modern equipment and a plentiful supply of TB drugs which they distribute for free. Nearly all (90 percent) of medical staff working with TB patients were trained in how to diagnose and successfully treat TB through the WHO’s DOTS system. This is the most effective method of treating the disease by directly observing patients’ medication intake for six to eight months. This is to ensure that medication is taken until the person is completely cured.

Doctors' attitudes to patients is more open now they are able to get proper training, equipment and drugs Listen to the Interview Windows Media 700KB | MP3 1.8 MB Read the transcript