We invite you to join us on 29 February at 17:00 (CET) for our second webinar in 2024, entitled "Operational research on modified shorter treatment regimens for MDR/RR-TB in the WHO European Region: results and programmatic impact on burden of DR-TB".
Speakers:
Dr Askar Yedilbayev, Regional TB and DR-TB Advisor, WHO Regional Office for Europe.
Mr Oleksandr Korotych, Technical Officer on TB Research Initiatives, WHO Regional Office for Europe.
Dr Liga Kuksa, Head of the WHO CC Latvia for Research and Training in Management of MDR-TB of the TB and Lung Disease Center, Riga East University Hospital; Chair of TBnet.
Background:
MDR/RR-TB poses a significant public health threat to countries in the WHO European Region, with an estimated 67,000 new cases in 2023, primarily in Eastern Europe and Central Asia (EECA). Yet, treatment success remains below the regional target of 80% by 2025. The recent introduction of new TB drugs offers potential to greatly improve treatment success and simplify programmatic management.
In 2020, the WHO Regional Office for Europe launched operational research on fully oral modified shorter treatment regimens (mSTR) for MDR/RR-TB. This initiative aimed to boost treatment success rates, enhance clinical care, strengthen research capacity, and contribute to global knowledge on new TB medicines in shorter regimens. Thirteen high-priority TB countries in EECA participated, implementing three mSTR under operational research conditions. Enrollment in the regional cohort spanned from August 2020 to May 2022, with 2,816 patients starting treatment. End-of-treatment outcomes revealed a high success rate of 83%. An additional 5,819 patients joined subsequent national cohorts from 2021 to 2023. As of 2024, the WHO Regional Office for Europe is analyzing data and disseminating study results for use in the upcoming Guideline Development Group on DR-TB treatment in 2024.
The webinar will be held on Zoom, see below for connection details:
Link: https://us06web.zoom.us/j/85633836129?pwd=M17tklQPe12DxBOezaLdvhoWjSPAds.1
Meeting ID: 856 3383 6129
Passcode: 138213
