CFCS grant recipient: AFRO Global Alliance (AGA), Ghana Project: TB Voice Network Advocacy, Communication and Social Mobilization (ACSM) Subgroup Meeting November 30 - December 1, 2009 Cancun, Mexico Chief Austin Obiefuna Afro Global Alliance (GH) TB Voice Network

Outline of presentation About AGA Project: TB Voice Network Objectives Activities: CFCS & TB Voice Network Achievements Challenges Conclusion

About AGA Afro Global Alliance (AGA) is a non-governmental organization started in 2001 and registered in 2003 with common objective of addressing Health issues through advocacy and partnership. Offices in Nigeria, Ghana and now in South Africa. Co-hosting the Stop TB Ghana partnership Secretariat with the Ghana Society for Prevention of Tuberculosis (GSPT)

Project: TB Voice Network A network of cured TB patients and other stakeholders who are committed to fighting TB. Their voices “If you were cured of TB, your voice is crucial in letting TB patients know”

Objectives: CFCS 1. To scale up awareness of TB epidemic and its devastating effects in all the communities visited 2. To promote grassroots participation and involvement in the combat of TB. 3. To scale up awareness about TB in the country through the activities of the TB Voice Network. 4. To empower community leaders, opinion leaders, and politicians with the requisite knowledge and skill to enable them exert influence in policy making such as Bye-laws to help fight TB and prevent MDR-TB

Activities: CFCS Organize training workshops for volunteers and members of the TB voice network to equip them with necessary knowledge and build their capacities on community visit. Visit communities with members of the Network to give life testimonies to encourage suspects to also come out for early diagnosis and treatment.

Activities: CFCS Volunteer as treatment supporters, and counsel TB patients to complete treatment to prevent drug resistance of any sort Organize workshop for community leaders, traditional leaders and opinions leaders in the communities on issues about TB so as to whip up their enthusiasm and get them involved in the crusade against TB.

Activities: CFCS Develop and print few advocacy materials, leaflets and also design a website to give voice to the network and people cured of TB.

Activities: TB Voice Network Community sensitization – At congregation, market places Defaulter prevention – Home visit – Patient Counseling – Contact education DOTS implementation Distribution of IEC materials

Achievements ACSM; Parliamentarians, Communities, Patients and Opinion leaders Linking with NTP, Health facilities and NGOs Demystification and de-stigmatization of TB; more than 700,000 people reached through house to house & community outreach programme, 5million reached through media sensitization Ownership of Project by the advocates

Challenges Resources; to sustain the project, support the members, air jingles and testimonies, and also to expand its community outreach programme Motivation for the volunteers

Conclusion Stigma and discrimination remain the most important factor for social neglect of TB patients and others. Lack of sensitization and counseling is not uncommon in TB sufferers. Patients must be educated on how to cope with the treatment of the disease to avoid default and development of MDR-TB or XDR-TB.

Thank you for your attention