On November 19, 2017, tuberculosis experts from Uzbekistan visited the World Health Organization (WHO) Collaborating Center for Research and Training in Multidrug-resistant Tuberculosis for the development of skills in the field of the treatment of drug-resistant tuberculosis. During the nine-day training, eight experts mastered important skills in accordance with the latest WHO recommendations for the treatment of tuberculosis. The training was held with the support of the United States Agency for International Development (USAID) under the USAID TB Control Program in Uzbekistan in partnership with the Ministry of Health of the Republic of Uzbekistan.

The study tour to Latvia was one of many experience sharing events supported by USAID for medical professionals. At this training, participants representing the Republican Specialized Scientific and Practical Medical Center for Phthisiology and Pulmonology located in Tashkent, and the newly appointed chief physicians of the oblast TB dispensaries in the Bukhara, Kashkadarya, Navoi and Khorezm regions, studied the latest WHO approaches in the field of outpatient treatment of tuberculosis and its drug-resistant forms and patient-oriented medical services. Both experienced and young doctors participating in the training studied the use of new antituberculosis drugs and treatment regimens, as well as the detection and diagnosis of drug-resistant tuberculosis.

Isomiddin Usmonov, the chief doctor of the Bukhara Regional TB Dispensary, said: “The knowledge and skills gained at the training on clinical management of drug-resistant tuberculosis, conducted with the support of USAID, will be crucial for the effective treatment of patients and the further training of young medical workers throughout the country “.

According to WHO, over the past year, tuberculosis, including its drug-resistant forms, has claimed 1.7 million lives worldwide. Despite the fact that standard antituberculosis drugs are ineffective in drug-resistant tuberculosis, it can be cured with special treatment regimens and complex qualified medical care. USAID’s TB Control Program supports national partners in the prevention, diagnosis and treatment of drug-resistant tuberculosis, as well as in training medical specialists in the latest approaches to the treatment of drug-resistant tuberculosis.

USAID supports the Ministry of Health of the Republic of Uzbekistan in the implementation of the National TB Program and the introduction of more effective and affordable methods for the prevention, diagnosis and treatment of tuberculosis among the population, including vulnerable groups. The main objective of the USAID TB Control Program is to reduce the burden of tuberculosis in the country and to prevent the development of its multiple drug-resistant forms. USAID’s TB Control Program covers a wide range of medical issues, including the development of the human and institutional capacity of the health system, improved inter-agency coordination and cooperation, and the more efficient use of electronic databases. USAID supports the efforts of the Government of Uzbekistan to combat tuberculosis through a five-year Program with a total budget of $ 7.6 million.