The effect of advocacy, communication and social mobilization on tuberculosis case detection in al griba rural locality, Kassala State, Sudan, 2015

The World Health Organization has established advocacy, communication and social mobilization working group to help control tuberculosis at the country level. This study aims at investigating the effect of advocacy, communication, and social mobilization on tuberculosis case detection rate and mean tuberculosis suspected cases in Al Griba Rural Locality, Kassala State, Sudan. It also aims at assessing the knowledge of tuberculosis suspected cases in tuberculosis management units, and to identify the means of encouraging tuberculosis suspected cases to seek medical care. To achieve its aims and objectives, an interventional study was conducted between September 2013 to January 2014 in which baseline case detection rate and mean tuberculosis suspected cases were assessed. This is followed by advocacy through interviews with the State Director General of Preventive Medicine, State Tuberculosis Coordinator, Locality Commissioner, and Locality Tuberculosis Coordinator in which they were informed about tuberculosis. After that communication was conducted through two days orientation and training workshop for religious leaders and women association members. Then social mobilization was performed through trained religious leaders who delivered messages on Friday weekly prayers. Moreover, the members of women association lunched tuberculosis awareness campaign in their classes where they teach illiterate ladies “Quran”; wholly book of Muslims. Regular follow up for leaders was done through reports and meetings for dissemination of messages. The effect of advocacy, communication and social mobilization was assessed by recording of case detection rate and mean tuberculosis suspected cases of 3rd and 4th quarters in 2013 in the Locality and interviewing the patients attending tuberculosis clinics. It is found that: following the intervention smear positive tuberculosis case detection rate was increased from 20.8% in quarter three 2013 (before training) to 28.8% in quarter four 2013 (after training). Also mean suspected tuberculosis case was increased from 9.9 in quarter three 2013 to 19.9 in quarter four 2013 although the different was not significant (p= 0.492). About 32% (72) suspected cases were encouraged by religious leaders and women association members to seek medical treatment. Religious leaders were more efficient in motivating more cases 17.8% (39) than women association members 15.1% (33). There is no significant difference (p=0.764) in knowledge between suspected cases who were encouraged by intervention group (religious leaders and women association members) and who were encouraged by others. Therefore, the advocacy, communication and social mobilization could motivate suspected cases to seek medical advice. In addition they could contribute in the identification of tuberculosis suspected cases and consequently could improve tuberculosis case detection rate.