Does faith help in fighting tuberculosis?

Faith-based initiative improves access to TB

care for Indias Muslim populations in Bihar

Subrat Mohanty
The Union
 Project Axshya
Project Axshya is an innovative civil society
initiative designed to improve access to TB
diagnosis and treatment in India implemented by
The Union South East Asia Office under a grant
from the Global Fund .
 Project Axshya
Supported by Global Fund
Coverage of the project
285 districts and 40 urban
sites across 19 states
Working with 8 SR partners
Population covered
Poor & backward
(~250m)
Tribals (~50 m)
Urban slums (~ 40m )
Why religious institutions?
Strong and wider networks .
Respected and accepted by specific
religious community.
Appeal reaches far and corner.
Example of religious institutions
involvement for polio elimination in India.
Influence on community behaviour and
practices and can leverage this for
improving public health.
Mann Ki Baat on 27th March 2016

Compared
to the world
we have
large
number of
TB patients
in India. We
have to
defeat TB
in India.
 Background
Working with religious leaders in Indias Muslim community, Project Axshya
reached local religious schools, called Madrasa in 15 districts of Bihar with
crucial TB information, including recognising symptoms, and accessing free
treatment and diagnostic services.
The Union has provided 17,000 students and teachers of the madrasas
with information on TB, and some 300 sputum samples have been
collected or patients referred to the nearest diagnostic centres.
Basic objective of the intervention is to involve Madarsa, Khankah and
Mosque existing in the State for spreading the message about Tuberculosis
and available test and treatment services under the RNTCP in Bihar.
 Process
Initial discussions and frequent contacts with Nazim (General Secretary)
Imarat Sharia Maulana Anishur Rahman Qasmi, having equal influence in
Bihar, Jharkhand and Odisha, Chairman Bihar State Shia Waqf Board Janab
Irshad Ali Azad, Chairman Sunni Woqf Board Janab Irshadullah, Chairman
Bihar State Madarsa Education Board Prof. Shamshad Husain and Ex.
Chairman Bihar State 15 Point Program Prof. Arif Husain revealed four type
of Madarsa in Bihar and more than 7000 Madarsa existing in the state.
Madarsa managed by Madarsa Education Board
Madarsa managed by Imarat Sharia
Madarsa managed by Idar e Sharia
Private Madarsa
Appeals from Religious Leaders and Chairman of Woqf Board and to
organize a state level consultation workshop to roll out the Madarsa
Intervention .
Appeal Released by Chairman Bihar State Madarsa
Education Board , Chairman Bihar State Shia Woqf
Board
 Implementation
A state level workshop of Muslim religious leaders organized on
dated 22nd December 2015 to decide frame work of Madarsa
intervention in the state of Bihar.
A state level Woqf conference organized by Central Woqf Board
Government of India on 15 March 2016 at Patna attended by
President/ Secretary of Districts Woqf committee of 38 district.
Another state level workshop on Madarsa Intervention was
organized on 22nd July 2016 at Patna in which Honourable Minister
Smt.Manju Kumari Varma Social Welfare Department Government
of Bihar and other state level influencers participated.
Representatives from Madarsa situated in districts were invited and
sensitized with request to support this intervention.
1st State Level Consultation workshop on Madarsa
Intervention in Bihar India
2nd State Level Consultation workshop on Madarsa
Intervention in Bihar India
Madarsa Intervention Bihar
Action cum awareness day workshop in Madarsas
 Madarsa Intervention Bihar
Advocacy appeal distribution in State level Woqf
Conference 15 March 2016
Appeal Released by Nazim Imarat
Sharia in Hindi
Support of state RNTCP, Bihar
State TB Officer of Bihar personally visited many
Madarsa of the state and participated in
awareness day organized in Madarsa.
People residing near to Madarsa invited by Chief
of Madarsa to know more about TB and
availability of services under RNTCP.
Quarterly reporting format has been developed to
capture the outcome.
 Madarsa Intervention Bihar
STO Bihar in discussions with faith based leaders
 Outcome
The leaders in the Madarsa endorse the national TB programmes
in several ways, by passing along information about TB following
Friday prayers, providing educational materials to members of the
community and conducting information sessions at mosques.
Madarsa Intervention has been initiated by all the district from
Feb.2016.
Nearly 17,000 students have been sensitized during the Action
cum awareness Day in Madarsa.
23 symptomatics has been referred to nearest DMC for sputum
examination.
So far, Project Axshya has worked with madrasas in six districts in
Uttar Pradesh and nine districts in Bihar, which hopes to expand if
success rates continue.
 Quote
I had very little knowledge of TB before attending this
session, said Haji Asfaq, a resident of Masjid Chowk . The
TB orientation session at our Madarsa provided information on
symptoms, diagnostics and treatment, and most importantly, I
learned that free treatment services are available at
government health centres throughout my region.
 Next
Training of trainers for Madarsa in March 2107.
Identification and training of volunteers from the
community.
Reach Muslim community (intensified case finding) through
trained volunteers including delivering information about
TB.
Support for sputum collection and transportation.
Community volunteer from the community acting as a DOT
provider.
Nutrition and other social support through the institutions
to needy TB patients.
Efforts to engage other religious institutions (Church based,
Gurdwara, Hindu religious bodies etc.) for TB services.
Thank You