The project LEAD (Leveraging, Engaging and Advocating to Disrupt TB Transmission) was launched in an event in Karol Bagh, New Delhi on 2nd November 2023. The objective of this official inauguration event was to emphasise the importance of collaborations and partnerships, introduction of the project to the stakeholders, and engagement with the community stakeholders, informal service providers and other NGOs.

At the event, TB Information, Education, and Communication (IEC) products were displayed and distributed. Dr BK Vashisht (District Tuberculosis Officer) and Sanjeev Bhatt (Director, HPPI) emphasised the need for NGO collaborations for collective support in fighting the onslaught of TB. Dr Sugata Mukhopadhyay (Technical Consultant, HPPI) detailed the LEAD objectives, partners and operational cities, seeking stakeholder support. Jahangeer Alam (Project Coordinator, LEAD, HPPI) presented achievements of the LEAD Delhi project, including screened and presumptive cases. The District TB Officers shared their insights on TB in Delhi, expressing full support for the HPPI team. Field experiences were also shared by HPPI’s field officers regarding the overall process, from screening to the treatment phase, along with the necessary counselling provided to the people with TB.

There is a high burden of TB in the urban ultra-poor population. Project LEAD is being implemented by Humana People to People India (HPPI) in collaboration with the National TB Elimination Program (NTEP) of India, JSI Research & Training Institute, Inc., funded by USAID under the Tuberculosis Implementation Framework Agreement (TIFA) Programme, to facilitate TB services for the urban ultra-poor.