The project presents alternative and innovative methods for improving the access to health services of the target group by offering the possibility to people belonging to vulnerable communities to benefit from quality medical services regarding simultaneous testing for two infectious-contagious diseases extremely dangerous for the health of the population (COVID- 19 and TB), tests carried out in their localities of residence, without additional costs, with beneficial effects on their health and that of their families. The degree of novelty that gives added value to this project is the educational component through which the awareness and information of the people in the target group will be realized regarding the sanitary measures they must follow in order to prevent and limit the spread of SARS COV-2 infection and TB.

     The screening activity for COVID-19 and GENEXPERT will be carried out by direct travel, with the help of the van (8+1) purchased through the project, in the localities where the number of inhabitants living in marginalized areas is high, the percentage of the Roma population in marginalized areas is high , the incidence of contagious diseases is high and the number of family doctors is small and the Local Social Development Index (IDSL) is low.

     As part of the information and awareness campaign for the population in vulnerable situations in Mures County, information activities will be carried out regarding the prevention, diagnosis and transmission of TB and COVID-19 by distributing over 2000 brochures with informative content about COVID-19 and TB and the dissemination of information related to the sanitary measures necessary to prevent and limit the transmission of these contagious diseases. This activity will result in the selection and recruitment of the target group composed of at least 1000 people, including at least 200 Roma, in vulnerable situations, from Mures County, who will benefit from the medical screening services for TB and COVID-19 provided by the project.

     The active and intensive screening for the early diagnosis of TB and the diagnosis of SARC-COV-2 infection consists in the identification of suspects through clinical control, followed by their evaluation through the GENEXPERT examination of sputum for the detection of Bk and RT-PCR for the diagnosis of COVID-19. The intensive screening will address the following vulnerable population groups in the Mureș region:

- the extreme poor 

– homeless people 

- social assisted people

- roma communities 

- people from old tuberculosis outbreaks in which episodes of illness are repeated. 

     The people from the target group who will participate in the screening process within the project will be investigated for the purpose of discovering tuberculosis disease or SARS-COV-2 infection. The groups of participants will be composed of 15-20 people, registered as a target group within the project, and will be distributed according to the place of residence, in the project locations. The project implementation team, under the coordination of the project manager, will finalize the planning of the screening sessions during the duration of the project, which will be periodically updated.

     The medical team within the project, consisting of a doctor and a medical assistant, who will travel to the site, will start the collection action for GENEXPERT and/or the collection action for RT-PCR in the specially arranged place, after the:

– Detailed anamnesis;

– Epidemiological triage;

– Signing the informed consent by the examined person;

– Explanation of the sputum collection procedure for GENEXPERT;

– Carrying out GENEXPERT testing;

– Explanation of the procedure for carrying out the collection for RT-PCR;

– Performing RT-PCR testing;

     Placing the suspect in one of the risk groups (SARS-COV-2 infection suspect and/or SARS-COV-2 infection suspect-+ GENEXPERT negative and/or SARS-COV-2+GENEXPERT infection suspect positive).

          For a better determination of the services they need, people with suspected TB/COVID-19 will be classified into three categories: people with low risk, people with medium risk and people with high risk. Depending on the classification of each person, their circuit will be established for the successful completion of the treatment, through a personalized intervention plan. 

          In order to increase the efficiency of monitoring the TB/COVID 19 infection, the results of the screening campaign will be integrated into a database that will be made available to the Territorial TB Dispensaries and the Public Health Directorates of Mures county.