Capacity-building for consultants on the new WHO recommendations for the treatment of drug-resistant tuberculosis: international online training: 15–18 June 2020

Abstract

WHO Regional Office for Europe held an online training session “Capacity-building for consultants on the new WHO recommendation for the treatment of drug-resistant tuberculosis” on 15–18 June 2020. The objectives of the training session included capacity-building of the new and existing regional Green Light Committee for the WHO European Region (‎rGLC/Europe)‎ consultants on the new WHO guidelines; increasing the pool of consultants to enable the smooth continuation of support to countries with regard to the introduction of the latest treatment policies based on the latest WHO recommendations; and assisting countries in the operationalization of the new guidelines. Members of the rGLC/Europe, representatives from the Stop TB Partnership, the Global Drug Facility (‎GDF)‎, staff from WHO Headquarters Global TB Programme and from the Joint Tuberculosis, HIV and Viral Hepatitis Programme of the WHO Regional Office for Europe took part in the training session. During the meeting, staff and core experts from the WHO Regional Office for Europe and rGLC experts shared updates on DR-TB treatment and related topics, in particular TB/HIV and paediatric TB and latent TB infection (‎LTBI)‎ management and their implications for laboratory diagnosis, drug supply, infection control and clinical follow-up. The WHO Regional Office and Global TB Programme also addressed the challenge of COVID-19 pandemic, which is an overlapping threat hampering TB-related activities. Experienced and new rGLC members discussed the in-country mission Terms of Reference, expected results and possible complications.