Dushanbe, Tajikistan, February 25-28, 2014 – Within the framework of the USAID Dialogue on HIV and TB Project  a four-day Training of Trainers (ToT) on the core principles of outreach work among migrant workers was organized in the IOM office in Dushanbe, Tajikistan.  The ToT was organized for the NGO partners and brought together a total of 26 participants from Qurghon Teppa and Kulob.

The training aimed to enhance the participants' knowledge on migration trends in the region, the link between migration and vulnerability to health issues, mechanisms to ensure protection and promotion of migrants' rights to health services. The training also provided an opportunity of discussing existing data and the national TB strategy as well as the role and responsibilities of community support, outreach and social workers for prevention and identification of TB suspects and provision of referral and adherence of migrants to TB treatment being the most important requirement for efficient TB control.

The participants suggested a number of recommendations for ensuring the sustainability of project outcomes, which included the establishment of a national network of volunteers from among migrants and their families and promotion of peer education among migrant communities.

The first phase of the USAID Dialogue on HIV and TB Project laid the ground for case management, organization and managing of support groups among patients with TB through sharing best practice of partnering NGOs. The second phase of the project includes a strong focus on reducing diagnostic delay among migrants, raising TB prevention awareness, and treatment adherence support.

The USAID Dialogue on HIV and TB Project provides technical assistance, training, and direct outreach services to increase access to quality HIV and TB prevention and treatment services among the most-at-risk population groups. The program is implemented by a consortium of non-governmental organizations led by Population Services International, Inc. and includes Project HOPE, the AIDS Foundation East-West (AFEW), the “Kazakh Union of People Living with HIV/AIDS in RK” and International Organization of Migration.