This report is part of a series of three reports published by the Health Communication Partnership (HCP), in the HCP's "Health Communication Insights" series, which explores issues related to advances in strategic health communication.

One report summarises the lessons learned from both Peru and Vietnam, based on conclusions from two more in-depth reports: "The Role of Health Communication in Vietnam's Fight Against Tuberculosis" and "The Role of Health Communication in Peru's Fight Against Tuberculosis".

Peru exceeded targets set by the World Health Organization (WHO) of detecting 70% of infectious TB cases and curing 85% of those by the year 2005. According to this report, its success was based on a number of factors, including political commitment, adequate clinical services, trained personnel, key partnerships, and, most importantly, integrated communication activities with consistent messages conveyed through a variety of reinforcing channels.

From the Executive Summary
"Directly Observed Therapy - Short Course, or DOTS is an effective and widely accepted treatment for TB. The World Health Organization (WHO) set a global target of detecting 70 percent of infectious cases and curing 85 percent of those by the year 2005. Few countries, however, are able to expand coverage of DOTS to enough people to meet those targets. The main constraints to achieving the global targets include lack of political commitment, insufficient and ineffective use of financial resources, neglect of human resource development, poor health system organization, poor quality and an irregular supply of anti-TB drugs, and weak communication components in TB control programs.

Despite these obstacles, a few countries have succeeded in reaching or exceeding the global targets. Peru is one of these success stories. Before Peru declared TB a widespread public health problem and decided to fight it, the burden of disease was unacceptably high. Between 1983 and 1988, 30,000 deaths were due to TB, with half occurring among those between 25 and 65 years. A 1999 study showed that the economic cost of TB was between $67 million and $108 million per year. The tuberculosis incidence rate reached 243 cases per 100,000 before Peru’s National Tuberculosis Control Program (NTCP) succeeded in turning the trend around. According to WHO, Peru fell off the list of high burden countries in 2000 and TB cases are now falling at a rate of 6 percent per year.

This report describes how Peru achieved its success, with a particular emphasis on the role of strategic health communication. The report includes an analysis of lessons learned and implications that may help other developing countries in their fight against TB. The authors compiled this report by reviewing reports from Peru’s National TB Control Program, as well as interviews with Ministry of Health staff, policymakers, and representatives of international organizations working in Peru, interviews with leaders and staff engaged in TB program implementation, and interviews with TB patients and their families."

Click here to download the Vietnam report.

Click here to download the summary report.