Regional Plan for Tuberculosis Control, 2006–2015; 2006

The Regional Plan for Tuberculosis Control, 2006–2015, includes cost-effective control strategies, such as DOTS, that facilitate timely diagnosis and equity in the community. The Plan also includes integrated care, with emphasis on the prevention and control of TB/HIV coinfection and multidrug-resistant TB (MDR-TB). Other strategies facilitate access; reduce the cost to the patient; shorten delays in diagnosis through the involvement of all health care providers; improve health systems, especially in the area of primary care; strengthen laboratory networks and human resource policies; and provide integrated care for patients with respiratory illness. The Plan includes research into the work of the TB control programs as a complement to evaluation, identifying appropriate interventions. Patients with TB and the community are involved in control activities, promoting advocacy, communication, and social mobilization strategies.