Isabel Ochoa, describes design principles for infection prevention and control. Photo credit: Stop TB Partnership

End TB Transmission Initiative (ETTi)

The Challenge

As a result of the frequency of tuberculosis (TB) transmission in institutional and community settings, poor health care infrastructure and weak health systems, there have been calls for a global strategy to prevent the transmission of TB and other airborne pathogens such as SARS-CoV-2, which have culminated in the establishment of the End TB Transmission Initiative (ETTi) working group under the Stop TB Partnership.

Overview and Objectives

ETTi provides leadership and technical assistance to help prevent transmission of TB and other airborne pathogens in institutional and community settings worldwide, thereby preventing infection and disease. The initiative advocates for and leads implementation of effective airborne infection prevention and control (IPC) efforts. URC has received a grant to support and manage the ETTi secretariat with funding from the Stop TB Partnership. 

ETTi’s objectives are to:

  • Advocate for airborne infection prevention and control as a global priority, and achieve those goals by collaborating with TB partners, decision-makers of donor and countries, civil society, and other stakeholders;
  • Help to build and disseminate the evidence base supporting best TB transmission control practices and tracking worldwide implementation;
  • Help professionals develop, implement, and evaluate best practices through research and disseminate evidence-based recommendations; and
  • Engage civil society in supporting a global movement to prevent TB transmission everywhere.
ETTi core group. Top row from left: Carrie Tudor, Chair, Dr. Grigory Volchenkov, Vice Chair, Dr. Mustapha Gidado, Dr. Ernesto Jaramillo, and Dr. Liu Yuhong. Middle row from left: Dr. Sevim Ahmedov, Dr. Nii Nortey Hanson-Nortey, Dr. Paul Jensen, and Dr. Afranio Kritski. Bottom row from left: Dr. Matsie Mphahlele, Isabel Ochoa, Richard Vincent, Dr. Edward Nardell, and Dr. Sujata Baveja. Photo credit: ETTi

Achievements

In 2020 and the first half of 2021, ETTi members (virtually and on site) consulted with MOH, NTPs, NGOs, etc. from eight individual countries as well as global audiences for webinar series. The consultations included presentations on airborne IPC, technical assistance in establishing airborne IPC in facilities burdened with COVID-19 patients and supporting The Union World Lung Health conferences. ETTi routinely sponsors an airborne IPC workshop at this conference as well as coordinates at least one session on airborne IPC. ETTi members routinely presented the findings of their work.

The ETTi website saw 62,000 page views during 2020 with multiple downloads of ETTI Technical Information sheets in English, Spanish, Russian, and Chinese.

A paper titled “Antimicrobial drug resistance and infection prevention/control: lessons from tuberculosis” by JP Cegielski, C Tudor, GV Volchenkov and PA was recently published in the International Journal of Infection Control. ETTi core group members are working on manuscripts on the topics of TB IPC implementation, airborne IPC research gaps, and implementation of UVGI at a large TB and respiratory disease hospital.

At the Union 50th World Conference on Lung Health in Hyderabad, India (2019) ETTi held a workshop on IPC providing didactic presentations and a hands-on presentations on administrative, environmental and personal protection controls.

Duration
2019–2022

Countries
No terms found.

Regions
Global

Expertise
Implementation Science, Infectious Diseases, Tuberculosis

Funders
United Nations Office for Project Services (UNOPS)

Partners
No terms found.