NIHR Post-TB CARE
Centre for Assessment and Research Excellence
It is estimated that a significant number of tuberculosis (TB) survivors, around 155 million individuals, are currently alive and face a high risk of ongoing biological, psychosocial, and economic impairments. Despite this substantial need, post-TB care is largely absent in low- and middle-income countries (LMICs), which bear the majority of the global TB burden. Our research group has been established to address critical knowledge gaps that currently prevent the effective assessment of post-TB impairment and the design of feasible care solutions that truly meet the needs of patients.
Our overarching aim is to improve post-TB care in high-burden, resource-limited settings. To achieve this, we have set four key objectives:
- To develop an operational multidimensional assessment tool capable of quantifying impairment in TB survivors for accurate assessment of post-TB care needs.
- To design an effective, appropriate, and sustainable post-TB care package specifically for resource-limited settings, guided by principles of good clinical governance.
- To create a knowledge sharing and advocacy platform dedicated to post-TB in high-burden TB settings.
- To develop a multi-disciplinary centre of excellence for post-TB research, care, and community engagement in South Africa to foster sustainable, collaborative south-south and north-south research partnerships in the field.
This vital research project will primarily focus its activities across South Africa and Cambodia, two countries with a high burden of TB.
We are committed to a patient-guided research approach, ensuring that the voices and experiences of TB survivors are central to all aspects of our work. Our multidisciplinary team comprises TB survivors, experienced clinicians, and researchers from relevant academic disciplines, all working collaboratively to address the complex challenges of post-TB care. This international collaboration aims to build a strong foundation for improved post-TB care not only in these specific settings but also to disseminate findings across other high-burden, resource-limited regions.
Through our dedicated work packages, we will assess the full spectrum of biological, psychosocial, and economic impairments experienced by TB survivors, design and evaluate potential care packages, establish platforms for knowledge exchange and advocacy, and build research capacity in the Global South. Ultimately, we aim to provide post-TB communities, care providers, researchers, and policymakers with the foundational empirical evidence needed to appropriately assess the multidimensional care needs of TB survivors and to develop patient and provider-led templates for post-TB care in resource-limited settings. The establishment of a knowledge-sharing platform and a centre of excellence will serve as a lasting framework for ongoing research and the development of effective post-TB interventions and policies.
This ambitious four-year project is led by a dedicated team of experts, including Professor Brian Allwood (Stellenbosch University) and Professor Rein Houben (London School of Hygiene and Tropical Medicine), who bring extensive experience in TB research, clinical care, and project management. The core team also includes co-applicants with expertise in health economics, advocacy, community engagement, and social science, representing institutions such as the London School of Hygiene and Tropical Medicine, TB Proof (South Africa), TBPeople Cambodia, and the Desmond Tutu TB Centre at Stellenbosch University.
We are united in our commitment to improving the lives of millions of TB survivors worldwide.
For more information, or to collobarate with Post-TB CARE, email info@posttbcare.com.
