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A survey of patients with tuberculosis (TB) and their families was conducted for the first time in Tajikistan, with the goal to identify the attitude of this target group to outpatient treatment of this disease and develop recommendations for introducing a new model of TB care in this country.

The survey, which reached out 400 respondents from four regions of the country, was organized by the secretariat of the “Stop TB in Tajikistan” national coalition chaired by the NGO “The Young Generation of Tajikistan”. Coalition staff held individual interviews with those who went or were undergoing TB treatment (320 people) and their relatives (80 people) both in various medical institutions and at their places of residence, maintaining confidentiality of information and anonymity of participants’ responses. It was interesting to note that the opinions of the patients themselves and their families differed: about 90% of patients would prefer to be treated on an ambulatory basis, and only 40% of their relatives considered this form of treatment acceptable.

In addition to the key question referring to the attitude to a new model of TB care, the questionnaire also contained questions about the problems encountered by the patients during diagnosis and treatment of diseases, allowing to find out the reasons for delayed health care, seeking, treatment interruptions, difficulties in obtaining social support, etc. Following the analysis of the data received, recommendations to improve the number of TB control aspects were developed, including financing and TB service delivery, active involvement of primary health care institutions in disease detection and treatment, and training needs of health workers in the field of TB, etc.  Recommendations to introduce an outpatient TB care model took a special place in the developed document, as the advantages of this model are scientifically grounded and confirmed by practice of many countries affected by TB epidemic.

These recommendations were discussed at a special Round Table with the participation of representatives of medical institutions, patient community, non-governmental organizations and forwarded to the Public Health Ministry. The most important conclusion made by the survey initiators was the need for active work aimed at explaining the essence, advantages and options of implementing an outpatient model of TB treatment at all levels: from the general public to the governmental authorities.

The survey and the Round Table became possible thanks to the participation of the NGO "Young Generation of Tajikistan", representing the "Stop TB in Tajikistan" coalition, in the regional TB-REP project.

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