TB health clinic in Nigeria. Photo: National TB Programme of Nigeria.
Since 2021, TDR (the Special Programme for Research and Training in Tropical Diseases), in partnership with the Access and Delivery Partnership (ADP) and the WHO Global TB programme, has been supporting the West and Central Africa Regional Network for Tuberculosis (TB) control (WARN/CARN-TB) to improve the capacity of West and Central African national TB programmes to implement active Drug Surveillance and Management (aDSM).
A survey of 27 National Tuberculosis Programmes (NTPs) participating in the networks revealed specific barriers and needs for implementing aDSM. One of them was the lack of frontline health care workers’ capacities to detect, manage and report adverse drug reactions.
Because of the introduction of new, shorter drug-resistant TB treatment regimens, which require close monitoring of expected side effects, the NTP coordinators of the WARN/CARN-TB discussed the urgent need to strengthen capacities in the region. A WARN-TB/CARN-TB working group was established with representatives of the national TB programmes and of the pharmacovigilance departments to develop (1) a generic guideline and standard procedure for effective implementation of aDSM and (2) a training pack to aid specific audiences (health care workers, NTP managers and pharmacovigilance managerial staff) to successfully implement aDSM.
The training pack is based on WHO Global TB Programme training materials developed in 2016. This includes background and an overview of aDSM, basic components of aDSM and sessions on implementing aDSM in approximately 25 presentations and interactive sessions. It is available in French and English.
The training pack is accompanied by a training guide to serve as a resource document for organizing and delivering the training. Trainers will usually be country focal points with experience in aDSM or pharmacists.
This material is available on the TDR website: Active TB drug safety monitoring and management (aDSM). It has already been successfully used in Burkina Faso and Senegal.
For more information, please contact Dr Corinne Merle.