40th Union World Conference on Lung Health
3-7 December 2009 in Cancún, Mexico

Register!
To register or to download the registration form, click here. The deadline for pre-registration is 6 November 2009. Beyond that date, you will have to register on-site.

Exhibit!
Exhibition or sponsorship opportunities at the World Conference can enable your organisation to increase its international visibility. To develop a plan tailored to your needs and budget, please contact the Conference Secretariat.

Training materials will be displayed
TB education and training materials used worldwide will be displayed at the conference. There will also be discussion session that will provide the opportunity to review various materials and meet the people who developed them. To display materials or share ideas, please contact Nisha Ahamed or Amera Khan.


Preliminary results of Botswana IPT clinical trial to be presented
The preliminary results of the Botswana Isoniazid Preventive Therapy (IPT) Clinical Trial (6 months vs 36 months) will be presented at a special two-hour symposium hosted by the US Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC). The details and scope of this clinical trial will produce an animated debate among the experts on the panel and in the audience. The symposium will be held on Monday, 7 December, from 14:00-16:15 at the Cancún International Centre. Other late additions to the conference programme are on the website. Read more...


Late-breaker session on tuberculosis
The Union/CDC late -breaker session is a symposium based on 8 oral presentations covering new, innovative and significant findings that have occurred as of 1 April 2009, or for which information has just become available. The session will be will be held on Monday, 7 December, from 8:45 to 11:15. Simultaneous translation from English to Spanish will be provided. To read more on this symposium, click here.

41st Union World Conference on Lung Health

Berlin, Germany, 11-15 November 2010: Save the date!
Online submission of sessions for the 41st Union World Conference on Lung Health is open. Proposed sessions should relate to the theme Tuberculosis, HIV and lung health: from research and innovations to solutions and must be submitted no later than 31 October 2009. For access to the guidelines and to submit your sessions, click here.

1st World Pneumonia Day will be marked on 2 November
Pneumonia kills more young children than any other disease. Worldwide a child dies from this treatable disease every 15 seconds. This year a coalition of organisations including The Union has joined together to raise awareness of pneumonia by launching the first World Pneumonia Day on Monday, 2 November. A Global Summit on Pneumonia will be held in New York and events are planned in many countries around the world.

The Union’s Child Lung Health Division has been dedicated to the fight against pneumonia for more than a decade. Its model for delivering services based on The Union’s TB model reduced Malawi’s case fatality rate from childhood pneumonia by 54.8% between 2000 and 2005. The model has since been used in Benin, China and Sudan. Read more...

Learn more about World Pneumonia Day.

Learn how the Asthma Drug Facility can serve you
Countries interested in learning how this new procurement mechanism can help them will have the opportunity to speak directly to ADF staff at The Union World Conference on Lung Health in Cancún, Mexico on 3–7 December. ADF will have a booth in The Union Village. Asthma management and ADF will also be discussed in several sessions:

Standard case management of asthma: main challenges, implementation, monitoring and evaluation, click here
(Postgraduate course, Friday, 4 December, 9:00 to 12:30)

Manejo clínico-programático estandarizado del asma en países de bajos y medianos ingresos, click here
(Symposium in Spanish, Sunday, 6 December, 9:00 to 11:15)

Quality assurance of essential medicines: the Asthma Drug Facility response
(Poster discussion Monday, 7 December, 12:45 to 13:45)

For more information on ADF, click here. To register for the World Conference, click here.

TREAT TB develops searchable database of new diagnostic tools
The Union has undertaken a broad environmental scan of the fieldwork being conducted in the area of new diagnostic tools for TB, under the USAID-supported TREAT TB Initiative. A database was created to catalogue this information, which is searchable by diagnostic technology, country and research organisation. The goal is to make this information accessible to the variety of stakeholders who may want to use it as a working tool. The tool can be found on the TREAT TB web portal at www.treattb.org/NewDXtools.aspx. Read more...

TREAT TB protocol development workshop in India
One of the goals of the TREAT TB Initiative is to build capacity in operations research that can lead to improved TB treatment and services. On 21-25 September, The Union and its South-East Asia TREAT TB partner, the National Tuberculosis Institute, brought together 26 mid-senior-level TB professionals from India’s Revised National TB Control Programme (RNCTP) for a 5-day workshop on developing research protocols.

The workshop first provided a thorough introduction to protocol development. Then the participants identified seven topics that were operational research priorities for the RNCTP and developed protocols and plans for implementing them. This was the first workshop in India funded by The Union’s TREAT TB Initiative, under a Cooperative Agreement with the United States Agency for International Development (USAID). Read more. . .

How health systems in sub-Saharan Africa can benefit from TB and other programmes
At the turn of the century, Norway built its general public health services on the basis of successful TB control. After the Second World War, Japan rebuilt its ravaged health system by addressing high-priority diseases such as TB, while at the same time building pools of community-based health workers and volunteers. Considerable funding is now coming to countries from the Global Fund to Fight AIDS, TB and Malaria (GFATM), and, with a commitment from the GFATM to use part of this money to strengthen health systems, there are now real opportunities to transfer disease-specific programme knowhow towards improved health service delivery and primary health care.

In an article in the October issue of the International Journal of Tuberculosis and Lung Disease, Prof AD Harries et al discuss “How health systems in sub-Saharan Africa can benefit from tuberculosis and other infectious disease programmes”. Click here to read the complete article.

Uganda districts make progress in integrating TB-HIV services



TB-HIV services are improving in Uganda as shown by a recent review of four districts. The Manafa, Mbale, Soroti and Bukedea districts in the eastern region of Uganda showed progress in all TB-HIV indicators – the availability of HIV counselling and testing (HCT), cotrimoxazole prophylatic therapy (CPT) and antiretroviral therapy (ART). Support for integrated TB-HIV services comes from the USAID’s TB Control Assistance Program (TB CAP), which is implemented by The Union Uganda Country Office. Read more...

Union Mexico Office organises training on topics from journalism to taxation
The Union Mexico Country Office organises courses and workshops that meet the needs of people working in many different areas of the campaign against tobacco use. They recently organised a training session on taxes in coordination with The National Office for Tobacco Control in Mexico and ITAM, one of Mexico’s leading academic institutions. They also assisted CODICE, a Bloomberg grantee, with two regional workshops – one in Guadalajara designed to teach journalists about tobacco control (3-4 October) and another in Monterrey to build awareness of the issue among civil society organisations (5-7 October).

The Mexico Office also recently completed the 2009 series of three management courses designed to build capacity in tobacco control organisations. The Budget and Financial Planning course was attended by 21 participants from Costa Rica, Panama, Mexico, Argentina, Brazil, Colombia, Nicaragua and Ecuador.

Smoke-free Cities plan is advancing in Egypt
The Union Middle East Office is one of the partners working on the smoke-free cities initiative in Egypt. They have been collaborating with Egypt’s Ministry of Health and other Bloomberg Initiative partners on a strategic tobacco control plan for the country. As part of this effort, The Union is working with the MOH on an opinion poll about the smoke-free city concept. The protocol, study design and agreement have been approved.

The Middle East Office has also delivered the first part of a case study on Smoke-free Alexandria to the MOH. The second part will cover the early stages of implementation in the city. In September The Union also met with the MOH and the Ministry of Finance to discuss plans for tax strategies. All parties agreed on the need for better planning to be based upon national figures and the necessity of holding a taxation workshop in the near future.

Integrating tobacco control into the health system in Indonesia
The Indonesia Ministry of Health (MOH) and The Union on 1-2 September held a workshop on integrating tobacco control into the health system and sensitising policy-makers on ways to improve lung health. Among the speakers were the Mayor of Palembang, who described Palembang’s “smoke-free” experience and the Mayor of Pandag Panjang where tobacco billboards are now banned.

Participants developed recommendations, such as strictly enforcing 100% smoke-free environments in all Indonesian healthcare facilities and implementing a policy that all patients are routinely asked if they smoke or use tobacco. They also recommended that all stakeholders should strengthen their commitment to the smoke-free sub-national initiative and coordinate better to integrate tobacco control into the health system within the framework of the ‘Healthy City Policy’ and related policies. Workshop participants included MOH representatives at the highest level, NGOs, universities, local governments and Bloomberg Initiative partners.

IMDP at work: A participant profile
Dr Nii Nortey Hanson-Nortey is a deputy programme manager for Ghana’s National TB Control Programme. In 2009, he attended the courses in ‘Management, Finance, and Logistics’ and ‘Leading Management Teams’ offered by The Union’s International Management Development Programme. In this profile, he talks about the changes that have occurred in his work since he took these courses.
Read more. . .

Asia Pacific Region Conference in Beijing attracts more than 1,000 delegates
Delegates from 37 countries gathered in Beijing, China on 9-12 September 2009 for the 2nd Union Asia Pacific Region Conference. Dr Nils E Billo, Executive Director of The Union, and Dr Yin Li, Vice Minister of Health for the People’s Republic of China (PRC), made the opening remarks.

The theme of the conference was “Prevention and Control of Multidrug-resistant Tuberculosis”. The scientific programme included 4 plenary sessions, 18 symposia, a post-graduate course and several seminars. More than 300 abstracts were submitted by researchers wishing to present their work at this important regional event. The conference was organised by the Chinese Anti-Tuberculosis Association. Prof Chen Zu, Minister of Health of P.R. China, served as conference President with Vice Minister Yin Li as conference Executive President.

14th Union North America Region Conference
“Under one sun: Looking ahead, working together, moving forward”
11-13 March 2010
Rosen Plaza Hotel, Orlando, Florida
Join the NAR in Orlando to discuss clinical, diagnostic, scientific and social challenges to tuberculosis control.
Click here for more information.
Please note: The deadline for abstracts has been extended to 16 October.

Renew your membership for 2010!
“One of the unique features of The Union is the fact that it remains a membership organisation – one that is vitally supported by its constituent, organisational and individual members. Along with the Institute, these pillars of The Union continue to give our organisation its international reach, guard its independence and sustain its deep understanding of local issues through roots that reach far out into communities throughout the world.”

In the October issue of the Journal, three editorials accompany key articles that highlight the basics of strong TB control programmes, correct retreatment regimens and good laboratory practice.
• Sbarbaro and Romulo praise the massive TB control efforts made in the Philippines, the results of which are described in “Significant decline in the tuberculosis burden in the Philippines ten years after initiating DOTS” by Tupasi et al.
• Rusen comments on the alarming findings of Schreiber et al. in “Tuberculosis retreatment category predicts resistance in hospitalised retreatment patients in a high HIV prevalence area”.
• Salfinger and Ahmedov comment on “Results of the external quality assessment of Mycobacterium tuberculosis drug susceptibility testing in Russia, 2005–2007” by Shulgina et al.
Follow this link to the October issue on Ingenta, where all free articles are marked F.
http://www.ingentaconnect.com/content/iuatld/ijtld/2009/00000013/00000010

Record 1.
TI: It takes more than a village, it takes a whole country [Editorial]
AU: Sbarbaro, John A.; Romulo, Rodrigo L. C.
URL: Click here to access the article

Record 2.
TI: Tuberculosis retreatment: a topic whose time has come [Editorial]
AU: Rusen, I.D.
URL: Click here to access the article

Record 3.
TI: Has the time come to discontinue proficiency testing? [Editorial]
AU: Salfinger, Max; Ahmedov, Sevim
URL: Click here to access the article

Record 4.
TI: How health systems in sub-Saharan Africa can benefit from tuberculosis and other infectious disease programmes [Unresolved issues]
AU: Harries, A.D.; Jensen, P.M.; Zachariah, R.; Rusen, I.D.; Enarson, D.A.
URL: Click here to access the article

Record 5.
TI: Confinement for extensively drug-resistant tuberculosis: balancing protection of health systems, individual rights and the publics health [Review article]
AU: London, L.
URL: Click here to access the article

Record 6.
TI: Pulmonary Mycobacterium xenopi infection in non-HIV-infected patients: a systematic review [Review article]
AU: Varadi, R.G.; Marras, T.K.
URL: Click here to access the article

Record 7.
TI: What knowledge did we gain through The International Journal of Tuberculosis and Lung Disease in 2008 on the epidemiology of tuberculosis? [Year in review 2008]
AU: Rieder, H.L.
URL: Click here to access the article

Record 8.
TI: Significant decline in the tuberculosis burden in the Philippines ten years after initiating DOTS
AU: Tupasi, T.E.; Radhakrishna, S.; Chua, J.A.; Mangubat, N.V.; Guilatco, R.; Galipot, M.; Ramos, G.; Quelapio, M.I.D.; Beltran, G.; Legaspi, J.; Vianzon, R.G.; Lagahid, J.
URL: Click here to access the article

Record 9.
TI: Prevalent infectious tuberculosis in Harare, Zimbabwe: burden, risk factors and implications for control
AU: Corbett, E.L.; Bandason, T.; Cheung, Y-B.; Makamure, B.; Dauya, E.; Munyati, S.S.; Churchyard, G.J.; Williams, B.G.; Butterworth, A.E.; Mungofa, S.; Hayes, R.J.; Mason, P.R.
URL: Click here to access the article

Record 10.
TI: Global tuberculosis trends: a reflection of changes in tuberculosis control or in population health?
AU: Oxlade, O.; Schwartzman, K.; Behr, M.A.; Benedetti, A.; Pai, M.; Heymann, J.; Menzies, D.
URL: Click here to access the article

Record 11.
TI: Screening for tuberculosis on admission to highly endemic prisons? The case of Rio de Janeiro State prisons
AU: Sanchez, A.; Larouze, B.; Espinola, A.B.; Pires, J.; Capone, D.; Gerhardt, G.; Cesconi, V.; Procopio, M.J.; Hijjar, M.; Massari, V.
URL: Click here to access the article

Record 12.
TI: Diagnostic accuracy of commercial urinary lipoarabinomannan detection in African tuberculosis suspects and patients
AU: Mutetwa, R.; Boehme, C.; Dimairo, M.; Bandason, T.; Munyati, S.S.; Mangwanya, D.; Mungofa, S.; Butterworth, A.E.; Mason, P.R.; Corbett, E.L.
URL: Click here to access the article

Record 13.
TI: Missed opportunities for diagnosis of tuberculosis and human immunodeficiency virus co-infection in Moshi, Tanzania
AU: Tribble, A.C.; Hamilton, C.D.; Crump, J.A.; Mgonja, A.; Mtalo, A.; Ndanu, E.; Itemba, D.K.; Landman, K.Z.; Shorter, M.; Ndosi, E.M.; Shao, J.F.; Bartlett, J.A.; Thielman, N.M.
URL: Click here to access the article

Record 14.
TI: Circulating cytokines in pulmonary tuberculosis according to HIV status and dietary iron content
AU: Gordeuk, V.R.; Moyo, V.M.; Nouraie, M.; Gangaidzo, I.T.; Murphree, N.L.; Gomo, Z.A.R.; Boelaert, J.R.; Weiss, G.
URL: Click here to access the article

Record 15.
TI: Tuberculosis retreatment category predicts resistance in hospitalized retreatment patients in a high HIV prevalence area
AU: Schreiber, Y.S.; Herrera, A.F.; Wilson, D.; Wallengren, K.; Draper, R.; Muller, J.; Dawood, H.; Doucette, S.; Cameron, D.W.; Alvarez, G.G.
URL: Click here to access the article

Record 16.
TI: Costs incurred by patients with pulmonary tuberculosis in rural India
AU: John, K.R.; Daley, P.; Kincler, N.; Oxlade, O.; Menzies, D.
URL: Click here to access the article

Record 17.
TI: Molecular epidemiology and drug resistance of widespread genotypes of Mycobacterium tuberculosis in northwestern Russia
AU: Baranov, A.A.; Mariandyshev, A.O.; Mannsaker, T.; Dahle, U.R.; Bjune, G.A.
URL: Click here to access the article

Record 18.
TI: Results of the external quality assessment of Mycobacterium tuberculosis drug susceptibility testing in Russia, 20052007
AU: Shulgina, M.V.; Malakhov, V.N.; Hoffner, S.E.; Haile, M.; Wright, A.
URL: Click here to access the article

Record 19.
TI: Thin-layer agar for detection of resistance to rifampicin, ofloxacin and kanamycin in Mycobacterium tuberculosis isolates
AU: Martin, A.; Paasch, F.; Von Groll, A.; Fissette, K.; Almeida, P.; Varaine, F.; Portaels, F.; Palomino, J-C.
URL: Click here to access the article

Record 20.
TI: Development of a standardised multidrug-resistant/extensively drug-resistant tuberculosis assessment and monitoring tool [Technical note]
AU: Migliori, G.B.; Sotgiu, G.; Jaramillo, E.; Mirzayev, F.; Centis, R.; Colvin, C.; Richardson, M.D.
URL: Click here to access the article

Record 21.
TI: Prevalence of extensively drug-resistant tuberculosis in Vladimir and Orel regions, Russia [Short communication]
AU: Punga, V.V.; Jakubowiak, W.M.; Danilova, I.D.; Somova, T.R.; Volchenkov, G.V.; Kazionnyy, B.Y.; Nemtsova, E.S.; Kiryanova, E.V.; Kourbatova, E.V.
URL: Click here to access the article

Record 22.
TI: Food intake of selenium and sulphur amino acids in tuberculosis patients and healthy adults in Malawi [Short communication]
AU: Eick, F.; Maleta, K.; Govasmark, E.; Duttaroy, A.K.; Bjune, A.G.
URL: Click here to access the article

Record 23.
TI: TB, TB, or Not TB [The lighter side]
AU: Hayden, Chris
URL: Click here to access the article