Involvement of the TB community in the field of advocacy

On 28 of December 2017 ‘’Positive People Armenian Network’’ Soc. NGO(PPAN) organized Focus-Group meeting with people who have or had TB in the past. The initiative of having TB Patients network became from ‘’Changes are Possible. Act Now’’ Project’s activities. The first meeting pursuited to touch several aspects of TB sphere which will empower advocacy activism in general.

Fist part of the meeting was presenting role and significance of organizations operating in the field of TB: international structures, networks, communities, local NGOs. PPAN’s representatives’ enrollment, new members’ attraction and guiding also were on the table of meeting. This part was coached by Anahit Harutyunyan(PPAN’s President) and Arman Avchyan(Peer consular).

Within the second part of the meeting there was about an hour long brain storming format discussion for finalizing the scenarios of 2 targeted PSAs (about early diagnosis of TB and reducing Stigma & Discrimination against TB patients). Alvina Alagulyan (Monitoring and Evaluation specialist) conducted the debates and finalized the meeting parties’ approaches which surely will be included during the PSAs filming processes.

Need Assessment Survey of 240 TB patients which should be done along with the project activities also was presented to attendees and offered them to take part in it as interviewers. Four people confirm their participation and in January 2018 there will be training course for them in order to conduct interviews in a proper way.  

 The new meeting with direct TB beneficiaries and our new activists at the same time scheduled to have in January 2018 where Mass Media gapes concerning TB cover articles/programs/interviews, PSAs final product watching, Need Assessment Survey procedure, March 24 activities will be topics of the meeting along with other TB related headlines as well.