International Journal of Tuberculosis and Lung Disease
Volume 21, Issue 7, 2017, Pages 727-736

Cross-border collaboration for improved tuberculosis prevention & care: Policies, tools & experiences (Article)

Dara M. , Sulis G. , Centis R. , D'Ambrosio L. , De Vries G. , Douglas P. , Garcia D. , Jansen N. , Zuroweste E. , Migliori G.B.*
  • a World Health Organization (WHO) Regional Office for Europe, Copenhagen, Denmark
  • b University Division of Infectious and Tropical Diseases, Spedali Civili Hospital, Brescia, Italy
  • c Maugeri Care and Research Institute, WHO Collaborating Centre for TB and Lung Diseases, Via Roncaccio 16, Tradate, 21049, Italy
  • d Maugeri Care and Research Institute, WHO Collaborating Centre for TB and Lung Diseases, Via Roncaccio 16, Tradate, 21049, Italy, Public Health Consulting Group, Lugano, Switzerland
  • e KNCV Tuberculosis Foundation, The Hague, Netherlands, Centre for Infectious Diseases Control, National Institute for Public Health and Environment, Bilthoven, Netherlands
  • f Department of Immigration and Border Protection, Health Services and Policy Division, Sydney, NSW, Australia
  • g Johns Hopkins School of Medicine, Migrant Clinicians Network, New York, NY, United States
  • h KNCV Tuberculosis Foundation, The Hague, Netherlands
  • i Johns Hopkins School of Medicine, Migrant Clinicians Network, New York, NY, United States
  • j Maugeri Care and Research Institute, WHO Collaborating Centre for TB and Lung Diseases, Via Roncaccio 16, Tradate, 21049, Italy

Abstract

As tuberculosis (TB) spreads beyond borders with people movements, several interventions ensuring the continuity of care are essential, although difficult to put in place in the absence of well-defined agreements allowing data sharing and easy referral of patients to appropriate health facilities. This article first sets out general principles for cross-border collaboration and continuity of care. It then presents a series of case studies. Policies and practices on cross-border collaboration in selected low-incidence countries (Australia, Italy, Norway, The Netherlands, The United Kingdom and the United States) are described and critically appraised. Details of the World Health Organization's (WHO's) European Respiratory Society TB Consilium for transborder migration and those of the Health Network's TBNet activities are described. With increasing population movement, including migrants and travellers, it is time to build on good practices and existing tools and to remove legal, financial and social barriers to ensure early diagnosis, full treatment and continuity of care across our world. Data sharing between the sending and the receiving countries is of utmost importance and must be conducted in line with privacy protection rules. Successful implementation of these interventions is key to being on track with the WHO's End TB strategy targets for 2030. ©2017 The Union.

Author Keywords

TB Care prevention Cross-border

Index Keywords

patient care Netherlands information dissemination public health service Australia Norway health care policy human travel clinical assessment tool statistics and numerical data social aspect priority journal international cooperation clinical practice financial management procedures United States Humans migrant medicolegal aspect tuberculostatic agent tuberculosis population research Continuity of Patient Care prevalence Incidence Article organization and management data processing migration privacy United Kingdom tuberculosis control world health organization Emigration and Immigration Italy Health Policy Transients and Migrants systematic review early diagnosis
Link
https://www.scopus.com/inward/record.uri?eid=2-s2.0-85018914014&doi=10.5588%2fijtld.16.0940&partnerID=40&md5=9042d397185d6e13f61759db6d48a6cb
DOI: 10.5588/ijtld.16.0940
ISSN: 10273719
Cited by: 13
Original Language: English