Ninety-four percent of people treated for MDR-TB through The Union Office in DR Congo, with support from USAID’s Challenge TB project, have been cured following the country-wide shift to the nine-month treatment regimen in 2017.
Union support for people in treatment for MDR-TB included financial support for clinic fees, transportation costs, management of side effects and nutritional support, as well as social support from community volunteers during treatment and follow up. At the national level, the success rate for treating people with MDR-TB was 88 percent – a significant increase from 73-75 percent recorded in 2015 using the 20-month treatment – but lower than when they were provided with comprehensive support to ensure treatment success as in the Union-supported areas.
In addition to supporting people with MDR-TB, The Union worked with local organisations and community workers to increase active case finding with a focus on high-risk groups – including people living with HIV, children, miners and prisoners – as well as transporting lab specimens and providing technical assistance to lab workers and clinicians in the DR Congo.