Sustainable Social Enterprise Model (SEM) for tuberculosis (TB) care in the private sector in Bangladesh, supported by the Global Fund, USAID’s Alliance for Combating TB in Bangladesh. icddr,b Tuberculosis Screening and Treatment Centres (TBSTCs) were initiated in 2014 as a sustainable Social Enterprise Model (SEM) for tuberculosis (TB) care in the private sector in Bangladesh. Currently, there ar
e seven centres in Dhaka, one in Chattogram and one in Sylhet to support the National Tuberculosis Control Programme (NTP) efforts to end TB in Bangladesh. The centres were supported by multiple funding sources including TB REACH Wave 3 and 5 of Stop TB Partnership; The Global Fund to Fight AIDS, Tuberculosis and Malaria; and United States Agency for International Development (USAID) through Challenge TB, Research for Decision Makers and most recently, USAID’s Alliance for Combating TB in Bangladesh. These TBSTCs have been operating towards strengthening Public-Private Mix (PPM) initiative of NTP to increase the accessibility of care and improve the quality of diagnostics in the private sector, and for the overall improvement of TB management as part of the national TB control strategy. The TBSTCs offer, at free of cost, digital chest X-ray and Xpert MTB/RIF, popularly known as GeneXpert, for rapid diagnosis of TB, and treatment for the diagnosed TB patients as recommended by NTP. Free blood glucose testing for the attending TB presumptive individuals is also another service offered at the TBSTCs. The centres were designed following the principles of airborne infection control architectural guideline by the leading experts of this field. The TBSTCs are open for TB diagnostic and treatment services starting from 8:30 a.m. to 8:00 p.m., every day except Fridays and other government holidays. icddr,b has formed a network of physicians including chest diseases consultants, internal medicine specialists, other specialists, and general practitioners in the private sector for referral of TB presumptive individuals to TBSTCs. Moreover, we maintain close liaison with Diabetic Association of Bangladesh (BADAS) centres. Our initiative also networked with and trained informal health providers in the private sector such as Blue Star providers for referral of TB presumptive individuals. In addition, the TBSTCs conduct Active Case Finding (ACF) to identify TB cases from slums and workplaces through sputum collection campaigns.
