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Quality Tuberculosis Care

Join us for a 60-minute Twitter chat to share your views about “Quality Tuberculosis Care” using the hashtag #TBProof. All stakeholders including community health workers, healthcare professionals, patients, NGO’s, policymakers, payers, journalists, educators, nurses and researchers locally and globally are welcome. The public transcript will be recorded by Symplur.

Date: Wednesday, 1 September 2021
Time: 19:00 – 20:00 SAST
Hashtag: #TBProof
Moderator: @TBProof

Access to high quality healthcare is a human right for all (UN Committee on Economic, Social and Cultural Rights, 2000). A high quality, person-centred approach is where the needs, preferences and experiences of those seeking treatment along with their right to be treated with respect are considered (Kruk et al., 2018). This further involves ‘thorough assessment, detection of asymptomatic and co-existing conditions, accurate diagnosis, appropriate and timely treatment, referral when needed for hospital care and surgery, and the ability to follow the patient and adjust the treatment course as needed’ (Kruk et al., 2018). 

On all of the above, TB care has a long way to go and needs to address many challenges! The Lancet Global Health Commission on High Quality Health Systems highlighted that inadequate quality of care can lead to adverse outcomes such as persistent symptoms, lack of trust in the healthcare system and unnecessary health-related suffering and economic expenditures. The commission reported that about 50% of TB-related deaths are the result of poor quality of care. Data from low-middle income countries indicates that one in three people have negative experiences with the healthcare system, including poor communication, staff shortages, poor infection control measures and long waiting hours. Vulnerable populations including people living in poverty and those with stigmatised conditions such as TB are affected the most.  

In order to address these shortfalls within our health systems specific to TB, world leaders at the United Nations High Level Meeting in 2018 committed to transform the TB response to ‘be equitable, human rights-based and people-centered’ by ensuring that:

     policies recognise human rights including key populations to know their TB status and to provide affordable, accessible and equitable access to services and care;

  discriminatory laws against people with TB are removed and rights-based laws, policies and practises are promoted; and

       equitable access and universal uptake of TB drugs, diagnostics and vaccines are facilitated.

These commitments are all related to quality TB care, and require urgent attention, especially considering the set-backs of the COVID-19 pandemic on TB programs. To put an end to TB being a leading infectious disease killer globally, we need world leaders to ensure that the voices of people affected by TB are at the heart of the TB response – we need person-centered quality TB care for all people. 

Questions:

  • T1.) How would you define quality TB care?
  • T2.) What is the number 1 challenge in quality TB care?
  • T3.) Who are key players in ensuring Quality TB care, and what action do we need from them for better quality TB care?
  • T4.) What innovations and changes do you suggest for ensuring better and person-centered quality TB care?
  • T5.) How can the health system respond better to people’s needs to improve quality of care?
  • CT.) (Closing thoughts) Is there anything else you feel is important to add to the conversation?
  •  

Start your answers with T1, T2, T3, T4, T5 or CT for transcript purposes.

Answer only after the moderator prompts. Questions will be prompted every 8-10 minutes, but keep answers coming using the relevant T and number. Introduce yourself if you are joining. Use the #TBProof hashtag in all tweets so you are visible to others in the chat as well as on the Symplur transcript afterwards.

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  1. Chats are public. Even if you use a platform like tchat.io, they still show on your timeline. Think before you tweet! Read more about maintaining a good digital footprint here.
  2. Tweets are limited to 280 characters and 140 on some tweetchat platforms, so keep answers as simple as possible. Answer one question as many times as you like.
  3. Respect other members of the community and show courtesy at all times.
    Refer to the Twitter Terms and Conditions of use. Disrespectful behavior can be reported.
  4. Don’t be afraid to lurk although participation is encouraged.
  5. Visit www.symplur.com to check out the analytics and transcript for #TBProof after the chat.
  6. If you don’t understand a question from the moderator speak up and ask for clarity.
  7. Use this opportunity to network with other stakeholders and follow them.
  8. When entering the Twitter chat, first introduce yourself and tell other members what you do so they get to know you.
  9. If you agree with someone’s perspective retweet (RT) them to show support.
  10. The chat runs for 60 minutes but you can join at any time.
  11. Start answers with the relevant T and number.
  12. Answer each question after the moderator prompts but keep answers coming even if we move onto the next question. We don’t want to miss out on your views.
  13. Both panel experts and attendees are invited to participate because everyone’s perspective counts.
  14. Use the hashtag #TBProof in all of your tweets or you won’t be visible to others as well as on the transcript recording.
  15. Have fun, and invite others to support the session!