IMPLEMENTATION OF BERLIN DECLARATION - ESTONIA

UNCLAS TALLINN 000082 SIPDIS COPENHAGEN FOR ESTH OFFICE SIPDIS E.O. 12958: N/A TAGS: SOCI TBIO KHIV TBIO EN SUBJECT: IMPLEMENTATION OF BERLIN DECLARATION - ESTONIA REF: STATE 6989 ¶1. As requested by REFTEL the following is Estonia's report on the status of implementation of the Berlin Declaration. ¶2. Estonia signed the Berlin Declaration on Tuberculosis on October 22, 2007. On February 20, 2008 the Minister of Social Affairs approved the "National Tuberculosis Response Strategy and Action Plan 2008- 2012" (NTRSAP). The NTRSAP addresses all commitments taken by signatories under paragraph five. ¶3. By adopting the new strategy, the Government of Estonia (GOE) demonstrates its political commitment to rein in the problem of TB in Estonia. According to the NTRSAP, the GOE continues to be the main coordinator and financer of TB response activities in Estonia. Furthermore, the NTRSAP provides new approaches to fight against TB in Estonia, and requires that all functions of the existing TB response system be adequately implemented. ¶4. The main components of the Estonian TB Program are: a. Implementation of a directly observed treatment system (DOTS). Patients take their daily medicine under the supervision of a nurse or social worker in a clinic or at patient's home, in strict accordance with the standardized treatment plan; b. Public procurement of TB drugs to enable access to free treatment for every patient; c. Public procurement of drugs to reduce the side effects of TB drugs and to reduce the number of drug- resistance patients who drop out of the treatment program; d. Effective TB lab services to provide accurate and economic microbiological TB diagnostics; e. A well-functioning TB monitoring system including maintenance of a TB registry that reflects the dynamics of TB infection rates and enables analysis of the effectiveness of treatment plans. This will also help to ensure that patients continue to get treatment if they move, or are released from prison; f. Highly motivated personnel devoted to TB treatment and cooperation both on a national and international level. ¶5. The NTRSAP also focuses on possible problematic areas that may impede the reduction of new TB cases in Estonia. The Plan would provide new measures for prevention and early diagnostics, such as screening of TB risk groups, including the homeless, the HIV positive population, and their close contacts. The NTRSAP is in compliance with Estonia's National HIV Prevention Strategy for 2007-2015, and with the National Strategy on Drug Dependency for 2004-2012. Further, the NTRSAP makes it possible to provide patients with coordinated treatment plans, anti-retroviral treatment and drug substitute treatment. PHILLIPS