The Union implemented Project Axshya has activities in 300 districts across 21 states of India.

PROJECT AXSHYA
A Civil Society Initiative to Strengthen TB Care and Control in India
Part of the Global Fund Round 9 India TB Grant for 2010-15, Project Axshya (meaning TB free) is a civil society initiative that supports Government of Indias Revised National Tuberculosis Control Programme (RNTCP) to expand its reach, visibility, and effectiveness. It engages community-based providers to improve TB services, especially for women and children, marginalized, vulnerable and TB-HIV co-infected populations. With an objective of strengthening civil society led public health programming in TB care and control through increased political commitment as well as involvement of community and health care workers, Axshya is Indias largest Advocacy, Communications, and Social Mobilisation (ACSM) engagement project. It works with: 9 sub-recipient partners Over 1,200 NGOs, Over 3,000 community based organisations, and Several hundred thousand community volunteers, to reach:

Key Activities
Empowers communities with access to TB services and greater participation in TB control Facilitates involvement of all healthcare providers Advocates with policy makers and parliamentarians to enhance political commitment to TB control

570 million people, including: 170 million women, 150 million children, 250 million poor, 50 million tribal, and 40 million slum dwelling persons, and improve TB programme outcomes through: Increased case notification, Reduced default rates, Conducts trainings in MDR-TB, Epidemiology, Programme Management and Operational Research Research Knowledge, Attitudes and Practices (KAP) towards TB, and assess communications needs to raise awareness Improved TB treatment success rates, and Universal access to quality TB services

Strengthens ACSM capacities at the national, state, and district levels across India Supports the national programme in areas of publicprivate partnerships and monitoring and evaluation

Contact us: Axshya Project Management Unit The Union South-East Asia Office C-6, Qutub Institutional Area New Delhi 110016, India

Email: projectaxshya@theunion.org www.axshya-theunion.org

Axshya Achievements

Strengthening engagement of non-programme providers and communities: More than 900 NGOs have been sensitized on RNTCP schemes, and increased civil society involvement under the project has led to complementary programme efforts in human resource development, supervision and monitoring, access to diagnostics, increased commitment to DR-TB and TB-HIV from all levels, enhanced engagement of community-based ASHAs (Accredited Social Health Activists), engagement of private providers & NGOs in RNTCPs revised schemes, and some exemplary awareness raising efforts.. Engaging Village Health and Nutrition Committees: The project has systematically targeted the Gaon Kalyan Samitis (Village Health, Sanitation and Nutrition Committees) constituted under the National Rural Health Mission (NRHM) and informed them about TB with simple messages on identification of TB symptomatics and sputum testing at the nearest RNTCP microscopy centre. More than 40,000 such meetings have been held. Broadening the scope of civil society involvement in TB services: More than 100 partners have joined the Partnership for TB Care and Control, creating an enduring National Partnership to link RNTCP to other stakeholders through national and state coordination committees. (www.tbpartnershipindia.org/) Establishing sputum collection and transport mechanisms in difficult to reach areas, to ensure that sputum is collected from the patient and transported to the designated microscopic centre by an identified community volunteer, who also delivers the result to the patient. If the patient is suffering from TB, s/he is linked for treatment initiation thus closing the loop. Facilitating the creation of TB forums at districts level to give a voice to the affected community and advocate with the programme managers for resolution of challenges faced by TB patients in accessing services. More than 200 districts have a functional district TB forum in them. Disseminating the Patient Charter for TB Care and Control, which outlines the rights and responsibilities of TB patients, aims at empowering those with the disease and their communities and making the relationship with health care providers a mutually beneficial one. The Union developed an illustrated version of the Charter, translated into 19 Indian languages. The Charter is being displayed at various public health facilities and disseminated to all stakeholders across Project Axshya districts. Engaging Rural Healthcare providers: More than 10,000 RHCPs have been trained to refer TB symptomatics for sputum examination and incentivised to serve as DOT providers by the programme. Soft skills training for public health system healthcare workers: More than 9,000 health staff have undergone trainings focused on interpersonal communication and behaviour change help health care workers empathise with patients and address their needs. This has resulted in greater patient satisfaction and improved treatment adherence. Bulgam Bhai Campaign: Axshya developed a unique mass media campaign titled Bulgam Bhai focussing on creating awareness on treating 2 weeks of cough as a symptom of TB, and promoting sputum testing for TB diagnosis. The campaign consists of TV spots, radio spots, outdoor, street theatre performances, video van activities, and an interpersonal toolkit containing games and puzzles to be used by front line health workers to raise awareness on TB.

The Union South-East Asia Office C-6, Qutub Institutional Area | New Delhi 110016, India Phone: (+91) 11 4605 4400 | Fax (+91) 11 4605 4430