Tuberculosis

In 1989 the Advisory Council for the Elimination of Tuberculosis (ACET), which comprises representatives of public- and private-sector organizations across the country, was formed and developed the Strategic Plan for the Elimination of Tuberculosis. This plan calls for effectively controlling and eventually eliminating TB by: more effectively using existing prevention and control methods; developing and evaluating new prevention, diagnostic, and treatment technologies; assessing and transferring new technologies. The Strategic Plan is a call to action for the medical community and the public; it is intended 'to stimulate positive, constructive discussion and action, to in- crease the public's level of awareness of TB, and to encourage a commitment to the elimination of TB.' The plan stated that \ue2\u20ac\u153members of high-risk groups and their healthcare providers should be apprised of [their high risk for TB] and involved in the design, implementation, and evaluation of case-finding and prevention programs.\ue2\u20ac? By \ue2\u20ac\u153forging partnerships\ue2\u20ac? with high-risk groups, their health care providers, the medical community, and the public as suggested in the strategic plan, we can bring people together to work toward a common goal: TB prevention and control. Since the adoption of the Strategic Plan, the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC) has been working with the American Lung Association (ALA), its state and local affiliates, and with state and local health departments to make the public aware of the TB problem and to build partnerships for state and lo- cal prevention and control efforts. From 1990 to 1992 three workshops ("Mobilization for TB Elimination") were held, bringing together key state, big-city, ALA, and CDC personnel for training in the epidemiologic analysis of TB morbidity, as well as in coalition building, marketing, media relations, re- source acquisition, community participation, and health promotion. Participants also began work on TB prevention and control plans tailored to their specific areas. This document is based loosely on those workshops and is meant to serve as a resource guide for state and local health departments working to improve their services and build partnerships to control TB in their jurisdictions. At the national level, CDC and ALA have joined with a wide variety of voluntary and professional organizations to establish a national coalition for the elimination of TB It is our hope that this document will provide a valuable resource for replicating and expanding upon this effort at the state and local levels.A call to action -- Why should we forge partnerships? -- What kind of partnership do -- How can we forge a partnership? -- What can a partnership accomplish? -- Conclusion -- Endnotes -- Appendix A: Glossary -- Appendix B: Resources -- Appendix C: Examples (Advisory Committee for the Elimination of Tuberculosis, National Coalition to Eliminate Tuberculosis, Missouri Advisory Committee for the Elimination of Tuberculosis) -- Appendix D: Partnership inventory worksheetIncludes bibliographical references