KHPT’s engagement with over 150 religious leaders in four states under the Breaking the Barriers project,has been featured on the TB PPM Learning Network. The Network is a platform which brings together best practices about community approaches to TB elimination that enhance quality care by all providers.

In July 2021, KHPT took up the initiative titled ‘Keep the faith in fighting TB’, in alignment with the Government of India’s Jan Andolan theme of ‘Engaging Religious Leaders and Panchayat Raj Institutions’ to eliminate TB . The initiative, implemented in Breaking the Barriers districts in Karnataka, Telangana, Assam and Bihar, was based on the understanding that communities often believe in illness or its cure as an act of God to punish or redeem a particular individual. Such beliefs often lead to stigma and discrimination against any person with an illness as having committed a “sin”. The project sought to address this belief of the communities and mitigate stigma by involving religious leaders in positive messaging on health, with a special focus on TB.

More information about the initiative can be accessed here.