Background, Scope & Goals

With funding support from the Global Fund for AIDS, Tuberculosis and Malaria (GFATM), and incorporating activities from the Stop Tuberculosis Strategy, the Lao PDR National TB Strategic Plan 2006-2010 and Global Plan to Stop TB 2006-2015, PEDA continues to contribute to work focused on halving TB prevalence by 2015 when compared to 1990. This program is in line with Millennium Goal 6, Target 8 which aims to halt TB by 2015 and begin its recession.

Vulnerable communities, ethnic minorities and the general population in the villages, schools and communities of Luang Prabang and Sayaboury provinces are targeted as 'high risk' groups due to their locations and lack of access to information and treatment. The project uses community case finding, mobile community outreach, peer education, and the promotion of a referral system to support groups and treatment as the means of achieving the project goals.

Outcomes & Interventions​

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• Baseline survey / secondary data study of villages to identify target villages and communities

• Selection and training of Village Peer Educators (VPE) who work within their community to counsel and promote testing and treatment

• Promotion of referral systems to link VPE activity to TB counseling and treatment services

• Mobile community outreach conducted to collect and screen saliva samples, then refer villagers to direct observation treatment

• Development and distribution of comprehensive Information, Education, Communication (IEC) materials

• Coordination of a major community event to raise TB awareness and encourage community involvement

• Provision of follow-up and support visits to VPEs

• Previous project outcomes and interventions include 60 villages identified as target villages and communities in the Luang Prabang, Khammouan, and Salavan provinces, 240 VPEs trained, and VPEs used to reach 11,520 people per year through outreach activities