Project status update by 31st of December (period 7.08 – 31.12.2015)

The project “Improving the Health Status of the Romanian Population by Increasing Tuberculosis Control” began a 7 August 2014 and aims at strengthening the tuberculosis (TB) control in Romania, with focus on multidrug resistant tuberculosis (TB) in Romania, with focus on multidrug resistant tuberculosis and extensively resistant TB (MDR/XDR TB) and poor and vulnerable groups.

Following the additional, on 4 December 2014 the additional agreement was signed for the extension of the project, it value becoming 10 740 280 EURO.

Thus, the operational objectives of the project were also extended, from 4, the initial number, to 8 objectives at the time being:

1. Strengthening the institutional capacity of the National Tuberculosis Prevention, Surveillance and Control Program (NTPSCP) in order to control the TB epidemics in Romania
2. Strengthening the national capacity to early diagnostic of MDR/XDR TB
3. Ensuring complete, continuous and quality treatment, with 2^nd line drugs, for the patients with MDR/XDR TB
4. Development of an integrated community support model for the treatment and prevention of TB in poor and vulnerable groups
5. Increase of treatment adherence at the TB patients
6. Strengthening TB infection control in the specific health facilities
7. Improving the management of the National Tuberculosis Control Program (NTP)
8. Increase the awareness degree of TB in Romania, among patients, vulnerable groups and general population

At this moment, there are 13 work packages under development, comprising activities meant to increase the TB control level in Romania and the awareness degree of the public regarding this affection.

The funds necessary for the project implementation for August-December 2014 were transferred in November 2014, that is after 4 months after the beginning of the project. Nonetheless, at the end of December 2014, 91% of the funds were spent for ensuring drugs for 750 patients.

After almost 5 months after the beginning of the project, in 31 December 2014, all the activities are according o the established schedule, and the most important results obtained are the following:

1. The anti-TB drugs procurement for the patients with multidrug resistant and extensively resistant TB was finalized; in December, the first batch of drugs was delivered for 200 patients out of the 1000 to be treated within the project. The same time, also in December, the payment for a new batch of drugs was done, which shall ensure the treatment for 550 patients with MDR/XDR TB.
2. The procurement procedures for rapid diagnostic equipments and supplies (Genexpert, MGIT and LPA) were launched. The procurement shall be finalized in February 2015, and starting with March the reference laboratories in the TB network can be equipped with the new devices and the rapid testing shall begin, in order to diagnose the MDR/XDR TB.
3. The evaluation of the national data base of the National Tuberculosis Control Program was finalized and priorities for the necessary adjustments were established, according to the World Health Organization.
4. There were identified the vulnerable communities where information-education-communication activities and TB cases detection shall take place, among the poor groups with limited access to health services.
5. The identity book of the project was developed, as well as the communication rules and tools, the project site and the Facebook page.

The total budget of the project is 10 748 280 Euro, respectively 47 308 554.42 RON.

In November and December, the Ministry of Health transfer to the “Marius Nasta” Institute the amount representing the advance of 25%, respectively 11 827 137.50 lei. Until the end of December, 10 300 541.02 lei were spent, representing 87% of the transferred funds. Of the total funds spent, more than 91% were spent for ensuring the treatment of patients with MDR/XDR B.

 The spending for the period 1 August – 31 December 2014 are shown in the table below:

No.	BUDGET LINE	Total spent value
1	Human Resources	809,424.42
2	Transportation costs for staff and volunteers	0.00
3	Supplies	9,441,021.86
4	Costs for investments (with the maximum limit set for each call of projects)	0.00
5	Other costs related to the service provision towards beneficiaries	13,908.28
6	Communication and promotion of the project	0.00
7	Bilateral activities	0.00
8	Other subcontracted activities	714.24
9	Indirect costs	35,472.22
10	Unexpected costs	0.00
Total		10,300,541.02