In 2022 as every year Georgia Red Cross Society marked World TB Day.
With the 2022 slogan ‘Invest to End TB. Save Lives” the GRCS staff and volunteers conducted informational-educational campaign at central and branch levels. Aim of the campaign was to increase public awareness on TB and combat stigma associated with TB through disseminating correct information and highlighting anti-stigma and anti-discrimination messages.
On 21 March 2022 online session for more than 80 representatives of 17 GRCS branches was conducted by the GRCS HQ staff member, what was the first part of the whole campaign. During the week the GRCS staff and volunteers carried out sessions on TB at branch level for over 550 local staff and volunteers as well as community representatives. Later on, the GRCS volunteers distributed informational-educational materials among general public. Information on World TB Day and the GRCS activities was highlighted on the GRCS social media pages.
In addition to the informational work, GRCS staff and volunteers of Batumi branch (Adjara region) conducted a tree planting event on the territory of the Dispensary for the Tuberculosis in Batumi. Also, GRCS more than 40 volunteers were involved in the combined screening (TB, HIV/AIDS and Hepatitis C) conducted by the local hospitals in Batumi and Kobuleti. GRCS volunteers were managing organizational part – stream management and referral. As a result of the event more than 27, 000 people were tested.
On 24 March 2022, GRCS representatives were invited to the Meeting organized by the National Center for Disease Control and Public Health (NCDC) and dedicated to the World TB Day 2022. The meeting was chaired by Director of NCDC, the First Deputy Minister of the Ministry of Health and Director of the National Center for Tuberculosis and Lung Diseases. During the meeting the Director of the National Center for Tuberculosis and Lung Diseases made a presentation with updates on country situation – existing success and challenges in the field and expressed gratitude to the community, non-governmental organizations and educational sector involved in work against TB.
