We continue using every opportunity and every platform to draw international attention to the war in Ukraine and the problem of tuberculosis in war time.
This year, Alliance for Public Health has again participated in the Union World Conference on Lung Health that took place from 8-11 November 2022. During the four-day online event, the APH together with their partners organized topical sessions and discussions on TB response both on the main stage of the conference and in Community Connect, a special section for civil society and community members.
The activities included: “The effective collaboration and resiliency of TB program, community and Civil Society Organizations to end TB under the challenging war conditions in Ukraine” session chaired by Zahedul Islam, Director of Treatment, Procurement and Supply Management department at the APH and involving speakers Iana Terleieva (Head of TB Management and Response department of the Public Health Center of the MoH of Ukraine), Liliana Caraulan (Stop TB Partnership) and Olha Tsvilii (senior project manager at the APH); “Challenges and lessons learned from the implementation of the tuberculosis program during the COVID-19 pandemic: Experience from Cambodia, Ecuador, India, and Ukraine” session organized by the APH as part of the Frontline AIDS partnership, chaired by Zahedul Islam, Director of Treatment, Procurement and Supply Management department at the APH and involving partners from Khana Cambodia, Corporación Kimirina, LEPRA Society and Evgenia Geliukh, senior HIV/TB project manager at the APH who presented our experience in TB response during the pandemic; and “Combining efforts and conducting joint advocacy activities between civil society and various government bodies: The executive (government), parliamentarians, and local authorities” panel discussion organized by the APH and chaired by Zahedul Islam, Director of Treatment, Procurement and Supply Management department at the APH.
Besides, our employees moderated and spoke at other session and and expert discussions during opening and closing of the conference, including a presentation of E-posters, oral abstract session on strengthening national and global policies and lessons learnt, discussion of case-finding and treatment, where Evgenia Geliukh, senior HIV/TB project manager at the APH shared our experience of active TB case-finding among at-risk populations during the hostilities in Ukraine.
This year, the Union Conference for the first time included a creative session where the APH presented two videos about our innovative project on supporting mental health of people living with TB and a joint video with Frontline AIDS on TB response during the COVID-19 pandemic in different countries of the world.
During the last panel discussion of Community Connect session, at the end of the Union Conference 2022, a new composition of Union Community Advisory Panel/UCAP was announced, where Zahedul Islam will represent the European region and the position of civil society and communities affected by TB.