Patients and TB: Improving treatment outcomes through a patient centred approach and access to new treatments

The Ministry of Labour , Health and Social Affairs of Georgia and the international medical organization Médecins Sans Frontières/ Doctors Without Borders (MSF) are pleased to welcome the participants and guests attending the 5th Regional Tuberculosis Symposium for Central Asia and Eastern Europe, which will take place in Tbilisi on 22d and 22d March 2016.

This scientific forum is bringing together a delegation of 180 participants and speakers: representatives from the Ministries of Health of the region, experts from MSF as well as other national and international organizations and donor agencies such as the World Health Organization and the Global Fund, among others.

The symposium will focus on “Patients and TB: Improving treatment outcomes through a patient centred approach and access to new treatments”. It aims at sharing information and experiences on new developments in the fight against tuberculosis, and particularly against the drug-resistant forms of the disease (DR-TB), which are a public health concern in the region.

“This scientific forum gives the opportunity to the international and local experts, TB specialists and involved parties to share their experiences and discuss the challenges”, said Dr. Valeri Kvaratskhelia, Deputy Minister of Health of Georgia, in his welcome message to participants. “Georgia was one of the first countries to introduce the new TB drugs. [Today], the Ministry is planning to modify the National Tuberculosis Program and updating of the National TB Strategy, in order to maintain the results of the investment already made and improving the outcomes of TB treatment”.

“This symposium re-affirms the commitment of MSF to work with countries in the region and find new, more effective ways to tackle DR-TB”, says Dr. Sylvie Goossens, MSF representative in Georgia. “In recent years, MSF has been helping patients to gain access to new drugs that can save their lives. Now we intend to increase their number, run clinical research of new regimens, and continue working with our partners to simplify the treatments and make them easier to bear for patients”.