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TB Notes NewsletterReturn to Main Menu - TB Notes 1, 2008
No. 1, 2008
The 2007 Pacific Island Tuberculosis Controllers Association
Meeting
Pohnpei, Federated States of
Micronesia
Sponsored by CDC and the Pacific Island Health Officers
Association, in conjunction with the national government of the
Federated States of Micronesia (FSM), the 5th annual Pacific Island
Tuberculosis Controllers Association (PITCA) workshop was held
November 26–30, 2007, at the College of Micronesia-FSM. An important
milestone was reached for this PITCA meeting with the event being
moved for the first time out of Honolulu and into the
U.S.-affiliated Pacific Islands (USAPIs).
Over 90 individuals attended this meeting, with representatives
from each of the six USAPIs: American Samoa, Guam, the Commonwealth
of the Northern Marianas Islands, the FSM, the Republic of the
Marshall Islands, and the Republic of Palau. Not surprisingly, more
PITCA participants were sponsored from the four FSM states than from
any other single USAPI. In general, USAPI PITCA representatives
include TB administrators, TB controllers, TB nurses, and TB
laboratory staff. This year, PITCA participants benefited from
professional faculty from a variety of organizations, including DTBE
in Atlanta (Phil Talboy, Kashef Ijaz, Thomas Shinnick, Andy
Heetderks, and Alstead Forbes); the Health and Human Services Region
9 Office of Pacific Health and Human Services; the World Health
Organization’s Western Pacific Regional Office in Manila; the
Secretariat of the Pacific Community in New Caledonia; the
Australian Respiratory Council; the California State Microbial
Disease Laboratory; the new Pacific TB regional reference
laboratory, Diagnostic Laboratory Services, Inc., based in Honolulu,
Hawaii; the Burns School of Medicine, University of Hawaii; and the
Francis J. Curry National TB Center in San Francisco, California.
Shown in the photo are the U.S. Ambassador to FSM, Mimi Hughes,
Alstead Forbes, Program Consultant, DTBE, and others attending a TB
101 presentation by Dr. Kashef Ijaz during the 2007 PITCA workshop.
The format for success that PITCA organizers employ each year
involves 3 days of plenary sessions, as well as 2 days of breakout
sessions. The first day’s plenary session includes a status report
from all of the USAPIs and represented agencies on their success in
reaching the past year’s goals and objectives, and any specific
barriers and challenges faced. PITCA’s day 5 plenary session
concludes with the USAPI participants setting goals, objectives, and
activities for the next year, including measures for evaluation,
timelines, and the office or person responsible for attaining each
goal. The 2 days of breakout sessions are concurrent sessions
specific for the laboratory, nursing, and clinical staff attending
the meeting. Major concerns raised at the meeting are discussed with
the expert faculty, with many resolved prior to the conclusion of
the PITCA meeting. The issues not resolved are addressed as goals,
objectives, or activities the following year.
The topics of the sessions presented at this year’s PITCA meeting
included monitoring and evaluation of TB program data, TB drug
issues, review of shipping protocols from the International Air
Transportation Association, issues from TB laboratory onsite
evaluations, genotyping, contact investigations, problem-based
learning for clinical cases, and expert medical consultation.
Participants were treated to a premier of a new TB educational film
developed by the Micronesian Seminar, made possible in part through
funding by the U.S. Office of Minority Health. In addition,
attendees were able to make side trips to the Pohnpei State
Hospital, laboratory, and public health clinics. The next PITCA
meeting will be in Honolulu, Hawaii, December 1–5, 2008.
—Reported by Andy Heetderks
Div of TB Elimination
Last Updated:
07/01/2008
Last Reviewed: 05/18/2008 Content Source: Division of Tuberculosis Elimination
National Center for HIV/AIDS, Viral Hepatitis, STD, and TB Prevention
Last Reviewed: 05/18/2008 Content Source: Division of Tuberculosis Elimination
National Center for HIV/AIDS, Viral Hepatitis, STD, and TB Prevention
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