The USAID-led Tuberculosis Local Organizations Network (TBLON) project will support prevention, care, and treatment of tuberculosis (TB) in Zambia. A key development initiative under USAID’s Global Accelerator to End Tuberculosis business model, TBLON is designed to increase investments from the public and private sectors to end the TB epidemic and build accountability and local self-reliance.
TBLON provides support to the Zambian government to strengthen laboratory services and the diagnostic network, and enhance TB case detection in facilities and in the community. Improving early TB detection and treatment helps reduce morbidity and limit community spread, ultimately contributing to Zambia's goal of eliminating TB. TBLON will strengthen data management in order to better plan for service delivery, identify programmatic gaps, and budget effectively to meet areas of greatest need.
Some strains of drug-resistant TB (DR-TB) occur in Zambia. These strains are resistant to the most-effective drugs and require longer treatment plans that can be difficult for patients to adhere to. Managing the spread of DR-TB is essential as outbreaks have serious consequences for individuals and communities. TBLON works with health facility staff to improve case detection and treatment completion to address the specific challenges of DR-TB.
TBLON also works closely with private sector partners to generate local capital to fund TB research, develop income generating activities for community health workers, and provide nutritional support for drug-resistant TB patients.
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Expected Results
In its first year, the TBLON project surpassed its target to increase the proportion of TB diagnosis made by employing the GeneXpert tool and achieved 86 percent coverage with the tool. The project identified over 3,900 TB patients, including 341 children, and started their treatment. GeneXpert is more sensitive than other diagnostic tools, and employing GeneXpert has allowed Zambia to identify a greater number of cases.
In 2022, TBLON targets identifying and initiating treatment for over 15,000 TB patients including 1,500 children and ensuring at least 90 percent of these patients successfully complete treatment. In order to mitigate the effects of COVID-19 and sustain gains made in TB elimination efforts, TBLON will support the COVID-19 national response to detect and effectively treat COVID-19 patients and additionally support prevention efforts, including COVID-19 vaccination in the general population.
