The Truth About TB on World TB Day

15 February 2011

On March 24th 1882, Dr Robert Koch identified the bacteria that cause tuberculosis – a crucial step forwards in diagnosing and treating this devastating illness. Yet, over 100 years later, the UK is experiencing a consistent year-on-year rise in cases that has lasted for over two decades. This is why TB Alert is supporting health professionals and community groups to join together on World TB Day 2011 to hold awareness raising events in their local communities.

For 2011, TB Alert is working on a new initiative as part of The Truth About TB programme, to introduce TB nurses and third sector organisations to each other so that they can hold joint awareness raising events. Experience has shown that this is one of the most effective ways to reach the most vulnerable communities with accurate information about TB. To support this initiative, we have developed a range of free awareness resources for event holders to order.

The Truth About TB programme was developed by TB Alert to meet the Department of Health’s TB awareness priorities, set out in the TB Action Plan and the TB Commissioning Toolkit.  These call for TB services to involve the third sector in health promotion and awareness-raising and as advocates for their communities, in order to improve access to services among ‘hard to reach’ groups. The action plan also recommends that this work should be supported with culturally and contextually relevant awareness raising materials.

The programme was launched to Primary Care Trusts (PCTs) in February 2010 and followed up with a series of TB awareness seminars which have, to date, been attended by over 300 delegates from across the statutory and third sectors. The seminars have been developed in partnership with TB specialists in NHS Trusts and Health Protection Units to give third sector leaders and senior programme staff insights on the impact of TB on the communities they serve. The seminars also explore the support available for the third sector, under The Truth About TB programme, to build the knowledge and capacity to work with PCTs to address awareness of TB within their communities. 

Many of the organisations that have attended the seminars have already signed up to hold awareness raising events on World TB Day; over 250 events are planned so far, well in excess of last year’s total of 200 events; and there is still plenty more time to get involved.

The work does not stop after World TB Day though. In the coming months we will deliver a series of more in-depth training courses for third sector organisations that wish to integrate TB awareness work into their existing programmes. This will be supported with a toolkit of awareness raising resources, including materials developed in consultation with programme partners to meet the specific needs of their different client groups. Our Community Development Officers, based in London and Manchester, will also work with a smaller number of partner organisations to develop and deliver large scale local projects.

You can find out more about World TB Day and see the range of free resources available on the TB Alert website. If you are interested in organising an event, please contact Paul Dawson on 01273 234029 or by email: wtbd@tbalert.org.

If you would like to find out more about the wider The Truth About TB programme, including the forthcoming seminar in Blackburn on 16th March, please visit the programme news pages: www.thetruthabouttb.org/news or contact Elias Phiri, Head of Awareness Programmes at TB Alert: elias.phiri@tbalert.org.