IOM TJ launches project to link migrants to quality health care services

Dushanbe, Tajikistan, December 11, 2013 – The IOM Mission in Tajikistan and the Population Services International (PSI) in Central Asia signed a subaward agreement to increase access to quality HIV and tuberculosis (TB) prevention and treatment interventions targeting most at risk populations including migrant workers. This is the second round of the project launched within the framework of the USAID Dialogue on HIV and TB Programme. Through this 10-month initiative, IOM is preventing TB among migrant workers through the organization of outreach services and increasing the awareness of migrants concerning TB, community mobilization for active identification and referral of migrants with TB suspicious symptoms, formation of tolerant relationship towards migrants living with TB, increase of access to medical services and treatment control of migrants with TB.

Within the funding support from USAID, the Dialogue on HIV and TB Project is extending support to project partner NGOs through trainings, consultations and visits for the exchange of experience. During the project implementation, aimed at prevention of further co-infections, migrants with diagnosed TB will receive information on HIV prevention and will be referred for voluntary consultation and testing for HIV (VCT).

The project will be implemented in Qurghonteppa and Kulyab southern cities in collaboration with Akhtari Bakht and Anis - local non-governmental organizations. By the time of IOM’s planned activities later next year more than 100 migrants with TB will have received treatment adherence support services and more than 7000 migrant workers is to be reached by the end of the project. 

The Ministries of Health and Labour of Tajikistan as well as local authorities will join IOM in the planning and implementation of project-related activities to emphasize national ownership over the process.