Press release, Kyiv, October 8, 2012
In 2012, owing to the success of Stop TB in Ukraine program implemented by Rinat Akhmetov’s Foundation for Development of Ukraine in partnership with the State Institution "Ukrainian Centre for Tuberculosis Control of MoH of Ukraine", and ICF "International HIV/AIDS Alliance in Ukraine", innovative molecular genetic methods for tuberculosis diagnosis will be used in Ukraine for the first time. The use of such methods enables to establish accurate diagnosis on the date of sputum examination and therefore start treatment in time.
To date, level III laboratories in Ukraine are provided with the necessary modern diagnostic equipment.
This year, 12 GeneXpert automated devices for express tuberculosis testing, including multidrug resistance TB forms, were purchased using the funds of Rinat Akhmetov’s Foundation for Development of Ukraine and the Global Fund to Fight AIDS, Tuberculosis and Malaria. Supplies for the operation of these devices by the end of 2013 were purchased as well. GeneXpert application will make TB detection faster: from 3 months to 2 hours. Total amount of purchases inclusive of the supplies was $ 1,010,000.
In addition, 6 Bactec MGIT microbiological analyzers and their supplies for the year, as well as additional supplies for six months of operation and maintenance of 21 Bactec devices purchased earlier, were acquired. Total amount of purchases is $ 1,377,484. The use of this equipment will enhance the quality and significantly reduce the time of TB detection from 3 months to 2 weeks. This is a good tool for doctors allowing them to quickly make a correct diagnosis, reduce the time required to establish diagnosis and, therefore, faster prescribe the correct treatment regimen. Bactecs have already been delivered and installed in the tuberculosis dispensary laboratories in Transcarpathian, Ivano-Frankivsk, Kirovohrad, Rivne and Chernivtsi regions, as well as in Sevastopol. The professionals have also had on-site training on Bactec microbiological analyzer operation.
Within Stop TB in Ukraine program, with the financial support of the Global Fund to Fight AIDS, Tuberculosis and Malaria, Rinat Akhmetov’s Foundation for Development of Ukraine in partnership with the State Institution "Ukrainian Centre for Tuberculosis Control of MoH of Ukraine", and ICF "International HIV/AIDS Alliance in Ukraine has purchased 19 items of laboratory equipment and supplies amounting to $ 5,205,682. They include equipment and supplies necessary for the qualitative tuberculosis diagnosis: centrifuges, freezers, thermostats, biological safety cabinets, autoclaves, scales, slide-mailers, masks, UV lamps, etc. for level II and level III laboratories.
By the end of the year, the Foundation is planning to purchase 2 equipment systems for Hain line probe assay for molecular genetic tuberculosis diagnosis in the amount of $ 175,500.00. This equipment is new for Ukraine and will allow detecting Mycobacterium tuberculosis within one day and defining the range of drug sensitivity to almost all first and second line antimycobacterial drugs.
