A tuberculosis information and training Center for medical staff of the prison service was opened yesterday in the city of Orsha(Vitebskregion) on the premises of correctional facility No. 12 which houses TB hospital. The Center was created under the UNDP project “Support of the National Programme “Tuberculosis” in the Republic of Belarus” financed by the Global Fund to Fight AIDS, Tuberculosis and Malaria.

Antonius Broek, UNDP Resident Representative in Belarus, underlined in his welcoming speech that opening of such Center was a “great contribution to the fight against tuberculosis both in Belarus and in the whole world.” Deputy Head of the Prisons Affairs Department of the Ministry of the Interior Pavel Shakolo highly appraised the support provided by UNDP. He said, “Opening of the Center will provide new opportunities for arranging trainings for medical staff of correctional institutions – doctors, nurses and lab assistants.”

According to the Chief Doctor of the Prison Hospital Alexander Grinevich, 2008 saw improvement of the basic statistical data of anti–TB service of the national correctional system. He also expressed gratitude to UNDP for information and methodology support, laboratory equipment, medicines, and an opportunity for medical personnel to undergo training in Belarus and abroad.

164 medical professionals of the national correctional system were trained under, of them six doctors passed training abroad. First–line anti–TB drugs for treatment of 200 patients of correctional facility No. 12 were procured. In the beginning of 2009, 29 convicts started treatment. 100 convicts with multi–resistant TB will begin treatment in April.

Opening of the educational Center in Orsha was made possible due to joint efforts of  UNDP, TB Hospital at the correctional facility No.12 and Prisons Affairs Department of the Belarusian Ministry of the Interior. The Center activities will contribute to improving the quality of TB control measures in prisons.

For additional information please refer to Natalya Nemkevich, PR Specialist of the project, at tel./fax 299–51–88, 299–53–17, (029) 127–68–62, or Vladislav Khilkevich, UNDP Communication Associate, at 227–38–17, e–mail: .

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