Armenia

Tuberculosis continues to be a major public health concern in Armenia. MSF has supported the Armenian authorities in providing treatment to DR-TB patients since 2005 and has progressively expanded its activities.

Seasonal economic migration and the social stigma surrounding the disease further complicate the task of ensuring regular and effective treatment for patients. 

The primary challenge when treating MDR-TB patients is the length and toxicity of the treatment itself: it involves taking up to 20 tablets every day for two years and includes months of painful daily injections. To help patients cope with the constraints of the treatment, MSF has introduced a system enabling them to take some medications at home, with a medical staff member remotely connected by video. 

Armenia was one of the first countries in the world to authorise the use of two new TB drugs which promise to be less toxic and more effective. 

Since 2016, MSF has also been offering treatment to DR-TB patients co-infected with hepatitis C, using direct-acting antivirals, a new, effective, and less toxic class of drugs for hepatitis C treatment.