First comprehensive online course on clinical and programmatic management of DR-TB

From 28.09 to 02.10.2020 WHO CC Latvia conducted the first advanced postgraduate online training on programmatic and clinical management of drug-resistant TB for TB clinicians from Kyrgyzstan, Kazakhstan, Uzbekistan, and Tajikistan. This 5-day course was developed and adapted online to build the capacity of TB specialists for the USAID Eliminating Tuberculosis in Central Asia (ETICA) Project on the latest WHO evidence and recommendations for diagnosis, treatment and management of DR-TB.

The training was conducted through a series of lectures, discussions, group work sessions, testing, participant’s presentations, and pre/post-course questionnaires. In addition, virtual site visits to TB facilities of TB and Lung Diseases Center of Riga East University hospital were organized, including virtual visits to the National TB Reference Laboratory, TB outpatient department, and drug-resistant TB clinical Concilium.

According to the training participant's feedback, participants were satisfied with the interactive delivery of the training, well-designed materials, professional facilitators, and good logistics. Most of the participants admitted that they plan to introduce changes in their daily work after completion of the course (e.g. operational research on short treatment regimens, management of the latent TB infection, etc.)

From participants feedback: 

• “Provision of the training materials in accordance with the latest recommendations. Impressed by the quality of the illustrative material presented in the form of virtual tours to hospital departments and laboratories, as well as presentation/provision of material from other locations”.

• “The program was well-designed, the trainers are highly qualified professionals with profound knowledge in all the components of the TB control activity, most topical and urgent issues were discussed”.

• “Specialists will be able to introduce all the theoretical knowledge gained into practice, as well as pieces of practical advice. Besides, wonderful training materials will be extremely useful when there is a need to refresh one’s memory or while deciding what additional training sessions would be needed. Thank you very much indeed for this unforgettable experience".