ERS and The Union Joint Public Health Fellowship in Respiratory Infections

The ERS and The Union (https://www.theunion.org/) Joint Public Health Fellowship in Respiratory Infections aims to build capacity in the area of respiratory epidemiological/public health, population-based research by providing a fellowship recipient with the opportunity of a 12-month fellowship based at one of The Union’s offices. The first pilot fellowship scheme will take place at The Union’s office in India, with one selected fellow starting a 12-month fellowship between 1 June and 1 November 2019.

Project Axshya, a unique civil society initiative, is implemented in India by The Union South East Asia Office supported by The Global Fund. The project is being implemented in 128 districts across 14 states to increase the visibility and accessibility of the TB program services, with special focus on marginalised and vulnerable communities who are at most at risk of developing TB.

The project’s key objective is early case detection through active case finding (ACF) among high risk population groups. The key interventions implemented include:

• Door-to-door screening of high risk population groups for TB
• Health camps in congregate settings like prisons, shelter homes etc.
• Fast tracking of presumptive TB patients in high case load health facilities.
• Active surveillance through village level volunteers in identified villages.