340.652.01 CRITICAL CHALLENGES IN GLOBAL TUBERCULOSIS CONTROL AND RESEARCH

Addresses public health dimensions of global tuberculosis control and research. Examines global tuberculosis (TB) burden with special reference to the TB High Burden Countries. Describes the rationale, history & current status of the global response, including critical examination of the DOTS Strategy, the Stop TB Strategy, and the evolving role of global institutions (e.g. WHO, Stop TB Partnership, GFATM, Gates Foundation). Appraises the merits of performance based funding. Discusses concrete examples of national program implementation (Vietnam, China, Tanzania, Kenya, USA, Netherlands and Japan). Analyzes key technical components of national programs (e.g. treatment delivery, diagnostic services, monitoring and evaluation) and its public health dimensions (e.g integrated vs. categorical management, centralized vs. decentralized management). Describes challenges of TB-HIV/AIDS, X/MDR-TB, and Public Private Mix-DOTS. Highlights research into new tools and delivery models.

Upon successfully completing this course, students will be able to: 1) define the global disease burden and the status of the global response, 2) assess the public health dimensions of national tuberculosis programs, 3) address the challenges of TB-HIV/AIDS, X/MDR-TB, and PPM-DOTS, 4) recognize the importance of (operational) research into new tools and novel service delivery models and, in particular, 5) make strategic and operational decisions in implementing tuberculosis control and research programs.