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Gearing up towards ending TB in Europe: Regional workshop on prevention and systematic screening (PASS-to-EndTB)

30 October – 1 November 2023
Istanbul, Türkiye

Context 

Since 2012, the United States Agency for International Development (USAID) has been supporting WHO in establishing the Regional Platform to End TB in East Europe, which catalyses the development of new people-centred models of service delivery. It also supports the implementation of a series of regional tuberculosis (TB) action plans to end TB in the WHO European Region.

Meanwhile, in 2020 and 2021, WHO released module 1 and 2 of the Consolidated Guidelines on Tuberculosis – on TB preventive treatment, and on systematic screening for TB disease, respectively.

Prevention and systematic screening were prioritized within the operational planning for the implementation of the Tuberculosis Action Plan for the WHO European Region 2023–2030, and country demand for technical support in these specific areas of intervention has increased.  

WHO calls on counterparts in national TB programmes and primary health care coordination to nominate focal points on: (1a) preventive treatment and (1b) infection prevention and control, as well as (2a) systematic screening and (2b) active case finding – either combined in one role or as separate responsibilities. The Regional Office is expanding its workforce on TB (EURO-TB roster) and is offering technical assistance to complement countries’ task forces. 

Scope and purpose 

The European and global TB programmes at WHO/Europe and WHO headquarters respectively, with the support of USAID and the Global Fund, are organizing a face-to-face workshop on TB prevention and systematic screening (PASS-to-EndTB) to follow up on the “Regional meeting on the implementation of the Tuberculosis Action Plan for the WHO European Region 2023–2030 for high-priority countries”. During the workshop country cooperation teams will be identified to ensure the provision of technical support.

Objectives

  1. Map the current policies and existing practices on screening and prevention, and based on these identify opportunities to strengthen countries’ capacities to implement the WHO recommendations on TB prevention and screening. 
  2. Strengthen the regional and country capacities on (i) TB preventive treatment, (ii) infection control, (iii) systematic screening, and (iv) active case finding, and present available implementation mechanisms and tools. 
  3. Establish in-country support and implementation groups on TB prevention and screening, and plan the PASS-to-EndTB operational cycles for 2024/2025. 

Expected outcomes 

  1. The context and landscape of prevention and screening are documented and understood. 
  2. The latest WHO recommendations and available implementation mechanisms and tools are acknowledged. 
  3. In-country support and implementation groups for PASS-to-EndTB operational cycles for 2024/2025 are established and a workplan created.

Modus operandi

Within the event, a series of consecutive educational and operational planning sessions will alternate to accomplish the workshop objectives and achieve its outcomes. 

During each of the 3 days, there will be 4 sessions of 1.5 hours each. Plenary sessions – for educational purposes – will be alternated with operational planning sessions themed on: (1a) TB preventive treatment, (1b) infection prevention and control, (2a) systematic screening and (2b) active and intensified case finding.

During educational sessions, the workshop faculty will present the latest standards, while country participants share their best practices in prevention and screening. Within the operational planning sessions, country groups will convene dedicated round tables with their WHO advisers and implementation partners to plan country operations.