Оn February 5-6, the World Lung Foundation in partnership with the World Health Organization and Open Society Institute's Public Health Program, held a seminar on TB and social exclusion in Salzburg, Austria. Delegation from Serbia was represented by:

• Professor Gordana Radosavljević Ašić, President of the National TB Commision,
• Doctor Radmila Ćurčić, Nataional TB Comisson Secretary,
• Doctor Nataša Lazarević Petrović, Coordinator of the Project „Control of Tuberculosis in Serbia“,
• Doctor Đorđe Stojiljković, Advisor in the Ministry of Health
• Marija Čukić, Program Manager,
• Marjan Muratović, Center for Education and Health JAKER.

Key messages from from TB and social exclusion workshop:

• Policies must address the social situation including poverty, stigma, discrimination and social exclusion.
• Partnership between communities and authorities should be built on trust.
• A key factor for success in meaningful participation and involvement by the affected communities.
• International best practices are being developed which integrate the social context of TB and patient empowerment.

Detailed information on social exclusion seminar could be found on World Lung Foundation web page

World Day of Fight against Tuberculosis, 24 March 2005, was marked by an educational conference for journalists that was held on the same day, with beginning at 11 o’clock, at Tanjug Press Center.

The Conference was opened by the Minister for Health, Prof. Tomica Milosavljevic, M.D., who talked about the role of the Ministry of Health of the Republic of Serbia in control of tuberculosis.
Head of WHO Office in Belgrade, Dr. Luigi Migliorini, pointed out the significance of implementation of DOTS strategy both globally and in our country, and WHO consultant, Prof. Ludek Trnka, M.D., described the situation of TB control in Europe and emphasized the special importance that media have in TB control.

Chairman of the National TB Commission, Prof. Gordana Radosavljević-Ašić, M.D., presented the Health Care Programme for Tuberculosis, while Dr. Nataša Lazarević-Petrović, coordinator of the project «Control of Tuberculosis in Serbia through Implementation of DOTS Strategy and Outreach Services”, presented the Project plan that has been implemented since 1 December 2004 with funds of the Global Fund to fight against AIDS, Tuberculosis and Malaria grant.

First seminar on the Direct Observed Therapy Strategy (DOTS) for doctors specialist of pneumoftiziology and internists of pulmonology was held in Vrnjacka banja form March 27-29. 2005. Fifty medical doctors form Serbia were trained to conduct, according to the defined plan, until December 2006, an education of medical doctors and nurses from the primary health care centers in their regions. Thus, 5000 medical doctors and nurses on the primary health care level will be actively involved in the Program “Control of tuberculosis in the Republic of Serbia”. This is very important, since the medical doctors are responsible for early detection of tuberculosis and referral of patients on further treatment.

In September 2005, educational trainings of doctors specialists of pneumoftiziology, internists of pulmonology, general practitioners and medical nurses and technicians had started. All trainings are organized as a one and two day seminars and will be implemented in accordance with DOTS Strategy of the World Health Organization. It is planed, according to plan, to complete the education of all health staff involved in TB Control until the November, 2006.

For the purposes of quality control visits to the regional lung diseases and TB dispensaries and laboratories, six vehicles have bean procured and allocated to the: Institute for Lung Diseases and Tuberculosis of the Clinical Center of Serbia (2), Municipal Institute for Lung Diseases and Protection against Tuberculosis, Institute for Lung Diseases Sremska Kamenica, Municipal Institute for Lung Diseases Nis and Primary Health Care Center Kragujevac.

On September 8th 2005, The Minister of Health of the Republic of Serbia, Prof. Dr Tomica Milosavljevic, MD, PhD, held a Press Conference at the Premises of the Institute for Lung Diseases and Tuberculosis of the Clinical Center of Serbia. The Conference marked the beginning of first educational seminar on data collection, which was held in Belgrade from September 6-8, 2005.