tblatvia.com - News

DR-TB training in Riga, 16-23 of August 2023

Sun, 27 Aug 2023 08:00:00 +0000

From 16 to 23 August, WHO CC for Research and Training in Management of MDR TB hosted an international training course on innovations in the diagnosis and treatment of drug-resistant TB attended by 29 healthcare professionals from Ukraine, Turkmenistan, Uzbekistan, Azerbaijan and Kyrgyzstan.

Dr. Līga Kukša, the head of WHO CC for Research and Training in Management of MDR TB: "We are delighted that colleagues from other countries choose to visit the Latvian WHO Collaborating Centre to broaden their professional expertise and knowledge, which makes an important contribution to our own work, encouraging us to continuously learn, improve and strengthen our work so that we can pass on our experience to colleagues from collaborating countries."

A common approach to translating TB innovations into clinical practice, sharing experiences and collaborating across countries is essential to ensure the success of TB programmes and to continuously improve the quality and continuity of patient care".

The 7-day training course integrated the most up-to-date guidelines, recommendations and research-based approaches to TB diagnosis, treatment and care. The course also included study visits to the wards of the TB and Lung Disease Centre and the Riga Outpatient Department of Riga East University hospital to introduce participants to the Latvian TB control program experience.

A significant part of the training was also devoted to the practical work of the participants - country presentations, group discussions and analysis of different clinical cases.

We gratefully thank our wonderful participants, reliable partners and excellent experts who contributed to the course!

Workshop on cascade of care for MDR-TB/RR-TB patients

Thu, 08 Jun 2023 07:15:00 +0000

From 29 to 30 May, WHO CC for Research and Training in Management of MDR TB of Riga East University Hospital participated in a workshop in Riga, Latvia on the cascade of care for MDR-TB/RR-TB patients with a special focus on treatment adherence organized by the National Institute for Public Health and the Environment in the Netherlands for the European Centre for Disease Prevention and Control.

The specific objectives of this workshop were:

to enhance scientific knowledge on the diagnosis, treatment and especially treatment adherence of MDR/RR-TB;
to discuss country challenges in the management of MDR/RR-TB patients
to share good practices and lessons learned in the management of MDR/RR-TB patients.

This dynamic and interactive workshop was structured by combining presentations on MDR/RR-TB diagnosis, treatment and treatment adherence with group discussions and group work on practice-based case studies, a moderated poster session, country presentations and a practical visit to the TB Outpatient department of the Centre for Tuberculosis and Lung Diseases, Riga East University Hospital (CTBLD, REUH).

Participants from Bulgaria, the Czech Republic, Estonia, Germany, Italy, Latvia, Lithuania, Romania and Spain attended this workshop.

Liga Kuksa, the head of WHO CC Latvia was one of the co-lecturers of this workshop and presented side effects of new regimens, and active drug-safety monitoring and management as well as co-facilitated poster session and group work during the workshop.
Evita Biraua, the head nurse of the TB Outpatient department of CTBLD, REUH presented the Latvian poster on treatment and care of MDR/RR-TB patients in outpatient settings and good practices/examples from Latvia in treatment adherence and support for the patients.
Vija Riekstina, the head of the TB Outpatient department of CTBLD, REUH introduced participants to the organization of work of the Outpatient department, digital tools, and treatment adherence support for the patients.

TBnet Academy in Riga

Thu, 01 Jun 2023 07:11:00 +0000

From May 21st to 24th, the WHO CC Latvia of the TB and Lung Disease Center, Riga East University Hospital hosted the TBnet Academy 2023, organized by the European consortium of health professionals and scientists – TBnet. TBnet Academy is an international forum bringing together young clinicians and scientists from across Europe to take part in an intensive 3 and a half day programme that included study visits to wards, a lab visit, and expert and student-led lectures.

This Academy was held for the 11th time, previously it's been held in various European countries. It provides participants – young doctors and researchers – with the opportunity to learn and experience innovations in the prevention, epidemiology, treatment and improvement of standards of care under the guidance of internationally coached experts and mentors. The academy is attended by more than 40 professionals from 13 different countries in the European region. This year, TB and Lung Diseases Center was selected as a collaborator and host for this prestigious event.

Dr Liga Kuksa, head of WHO CC: TBnet Academy is a unique event where young specialists working in TB can familiarize themselves with the latest scientific and practical advances and assess the importance and necessity of research. The academy aims to encourage participants and help them acquire specific skills to succeed in research. Such international cooperation, particularly in times of conflict and economic instability in the European region, is vital to ensuring the ongoing exchange of scientific ideas and clinical knowledge, as well as cultural education and friendshipTBnet is a European NGO made up of more than 900 health professionals and scientists. The organization aims to promote the quality of TB patient care by addressing health inequalities, making expert recommendations in areas where clinical evidence is lacking, prioritizing research, conducting multicentre clinical trials and training European clinicians and scientists. The author and promoter of the Academy idea is Prof Christoph Lange, who represents the Borstel Institute of Science in Germany and is also a Board Member of TBnet.

Innovations in treatment and management of DR-TB course in April

Wed, 10 May 2023 07:18:00 +0000

On 26 April, our first but not the last intensive postgraduate course for this year for TB professionals on drug-resistant tuberculosis concluded.

Over the 7 days of training, we discussed the current evidence and latest guidelines for the diagnosis, treatment, and care of patients with drug-resistant tuberculosis. We visited the wards of the Centre for Tuberculosis and Lung Diseases and went on a field visit to the TB Ambulatory Department to learn about Latvia's experience in patient care in the outpatient setting.

One of the key objectives of the course is to facilitate the exchange of clinical experiences, good practices and interventions among participants and facilitators coming from different countries in our region. The content of this course is therefore designed to be interactive, providing space for discussions, group work and the exchange of views and ideas.

30 TB professionals coming from Ukraine, Tajikistan, Uzbekistan, Kyrgyzstan and Latvia attended this course.

Some feedback from participants:

The learning modules of the course fully addressed the problems that arise in the organization of the early detection, diagnosis, and treatment of tuberculosis in our country
A friendly, collegial atmosphere was maintained throughout the training, for which we are very grateful to the trainers who facilitated it.
After completing this course, I will implement the new WHO recommendations in my clinical practice, improve communication with patients and adopt a holistic approach to the treatment and care of patients with TB.

Join the innovations in treatment and management of DR-TB course in Latvia!

Thu, 02 Feb 2023 13:28:00 +0000

Dear Colleagues,

We are happy to announce the first in-person course that will be organized from 19 to 26 April 2023 (7 working days, including Saturday 22 April) at the WHO CC Latvia facilities - Tuberculosis and Lung Diseases Center, Riga East University hospital.

Exchange of experience course to scale up the competencies and knowledge of TB specialists in the clinical management of DR-TB in line with the current European Regional TB Action Plan as well as the novel approaches and evidence in programmatic management of drug-resistant TB.

The working language for this course: Russian

Course details & registration: http://www.tblatvia.com/innovations-in-dr-tb-course/

Registration for the online DR-TB course in English extended!

Mon, 24 Oct 2022 09:49:00 +0000

The registration deadline for participants of the online course "Innovations in treatment and management of drug-resistant tuberculosis", which will be organized 9-11/01 and 16-17/01, 2023
is extended to 29/12/2022!

This online course is designed to build the capacity of TB specialists in TB clinical management and introduce the updates from the WHO consolidated guidelines on TB prevention, diagnosis, treatment, and care; scale-up approaches in delivering a people-centered model of TB care, as well as to learn about innovations, digital solutions and the latest evidence and recommendations in the management of drug-resistant TB.

Read more about this course: http://www.tblatvia.com/tb-course-for-clinicians/

Registration is available online!

Online training for TB clinicians

Wed, 06 Jul 2022 10:03:00 +0000

WHO CC Latvia organized online DR-TB training for TB clinicians 13-15/06 and 20-21/06, 2022. The course was attended by 56 participants from Ukraine, Kyrgyzstan, Kazakhstan, Uzbekistan, Tajikistan, Turkmenistan and Moldova.

The objectives of the online course were to:

Build the capacity of TB specialists in TB clinical management.
Introduce the updates from the WHO consolidated guidelines on TB prevention, diagnosis, treatment, and care.
Scale-up approaches in delivering a people-centered model of TB care.
Learn about the innovations, digital solutions and the latest evidence and recommendations in the management of drug-resistant TB.Among the positive aspects of the online training, course participants have mentioned interactivity, online tours, up-to-date content and information, exchange of experience and clarity of the delivered material.

The topics were all extremely relevant, new recommendations were presented. The trainers are highly skilled professionals. The feedback to the questions was provided promptly. Good clinical cases were offered for analysis, which made the training more interesting

Most of the participants are planning to introduce changes in their clinical practices after completion of the course – e.g. strengthen the collaboration with the primary health care professionals, improve contact tracing, and introduce new recommendations in TB clinical management.

We are going to use short regimens for the treatment of pediatric drug-susceptible tuberculosis. We’ll work with primary care providers to improve their performance when it comes to detecting TB and initiating treatment for patients with TB promptly.
The course was organized in collaboration with partners WHO Country Office in Ukraine, USAID "Eliminating TB in Central Asia project", Tajikistan, JOHN SNOW, INC., USA, PAS Center for Health Policies and Studies, Moldova.

Online course in English on innovations in treatment and management of drug-resistant TB, November 29-30 and December 6-8, 2021

Tue, 05 Oct 2021 08:27:00 +0000

Online course on innovations in treatment and management of drug-resistant for English-speaking participants will be organized on November 29-30 and December 6-8, 2021 (the duration of the online course is 5 working days in total).

The course is designed very practical and interactive for participants, including series of online lectures, discussions and case studies, live demonstrations, group work sessions, participant’s presentations, and virtual tours to TB facilities of the TB and Lung Diseases Center of Riga East University Hospital.

Participants of this course will learn about the updates from the WHO consolidated guidelines and recommendations as well as the recent advances, innovations, and digital solutions in the clinical and programmatic management of drug-resistant TB.

Detailed information about the course is available here

Participants' registration will be accepted online by November 18, 2021. Online registration form: https://forms.office.com/r/gKDAZdw9bZ

Launching a new online course on innovations in treatment and management of DR-TB

Wed, 28 Jul 2021 09:22:00 +0000

International Training Center is launching a new comprehensive online course on innovations in the treatment and management of drug-resistant tuberculosis that will be organized on September 20-22 and 27-28, 2021 (5 working days) for TB clinicians. The course is designed to build the capacity of TB specialists in TB clinical management and introduce the updates from the WHO consolidated guidelines on TB prevention, diagnosis, treatment, and care; scale-up approaches in delivering a people-centered model of TB care, as well as learn about innovations, digital solutions, and the latest evidence and recommendations in the management of TB.

The course will be organized for Russian-speaking participants.

More information on the content of the course, technical details, and registration are available here:

Information in Russian is available here

Training course on improving the quality of drug-resistant tuberculosis

Thu, 15 Jul 2021 08:05:00 +0000

From 6 to 9 of July, Latvian WHO CC in collaboration with USAID ETICA (Eliminating Tuberculosis in Central Asia) project hosted an online course on improving the quality of drug-resistant tuberculosis case management for participants from Uzbekistan, Tajikistan, Kazakhstan and Kyrgyzstan. The goal of this course was to strengthen the capacity of members of the central drug-resistant TB Consilium and coordinators at all levels of TB services to introduce the clinical audit for TB care within programmatic conditions for assuring and strengthening quality across the cascade of care, with particular emphasis on the clinical management of TB.

The online course was practice-oriented and conducted through a series of lectures and clinical case discussions prepared by participants to assess the quality of TB case management. In addition, the course included daily group work sessions and participants presentations to discuss the limitations and strengths of National TB programs, the role of national TB Concilium, as well as the requirements for physicians for presenting a patient to TB Consilium. At the end of the course, each country elaborated a National document on criteria for the provision of the clinical audit (quality assessment).

During the course a virtual site visit to different TB facilities of TB and Lung Diseases center was organized - the National TB Reference Laboratory, TB outpatient department (including demonstration of directly observed and video observed TB treatment), and drug-resistant TB clinical Concilium.

The United States Agency for International Development Eliminating Tuberculosis in Central Asia (USAID ETICA) Project is the five-year program being implemented in Kazakhstan, Tajikistan, Kyrgyzstan, Tajikistan, Turkmenistan, and Uzbekistan. The purpose of the USAID ETICA project is to ensure more effective and more accessible tuberculosis (TB) diagnosis and treatment for all, including the vulnerable population