Addressing Poverty in TB Control. Options for National TB Control Programmes
WHO's commitment to the promotion of equity and pro-poor policies in its disease prevention and control activities is based on the recognition of poverty as a major barrier to health and health care. In the case of tuberculosis (TB), the links between poverty and disease burden have been documented for many years. This document addresses the integration of national TB control programmes on the practical issues involved and options for action. The following six principal steps are recommended and described in the document.
Identify the poor and vulnerable groups in the country/region served by the national TB programme.
Determine which barriers prevent access of the vulnerable groups to services that provide TB diagnosis and treatment.
Assess potential actions to overcome the barriers to access.
Review the situations and population groups requiring special consideration.
Explore possibilities for harnessing additional resources.
Evaluate the impact of pro-poor measures.