Support groups

Under Stop TB Partnership, Tajikistan, there is a network of Support Group Volunteers (SGVs) to support the decentralization of TB care in Tajikistan. SGVs include TB survivors, their family members, social     workers and nurses. In total there are 31 SGVs who operate in 14 administrative areas-districts. They support people with DR-TB providing treatment adherence support, increasing awareness about the          disease and its course, providing counselling to people with TB and try, with the means available to address some of the social determinants associated with TB in Tajikistan.   

SGV responsibilities:

• Providing treatment adherence and Psychological support.
• Raising awareness about TB among family members and in communities.
• Supporting active case finding strategies.
• Connecting people with TB to each other.
• Connecting people with TB or presumptive TB to health facilities.
• Building links and bridges between health services and communities.

Under the current system, volunteers connect with people with TB telephonically to support their continuation of treatment and periodically they conduct home visits to provide any additional support required, to people with TB, families and the extended community. Under the current system volunteers are responsible for reporting the challenges to the Stop TB Partnership, Tajikistan central team, who support the volunteers to find solutions or to elevate the challenges to those in a position or responsible to do so. 

From the start the initiators of the Stop TB Partnership Tajikistan were united by one goal – to join efforts to cater to the needs and improve the services provided to the people and communities affected by TB. Mutual support was an important factor of success: TB survivors started to help the people who were still on TB treatment. SGVs grew from initial 5 TB survivors in 2013 to 31 members till date.