In Azerbaijan, a desk review on the role of civil society organizations (CSOs) and communities in TB elimination efforts has been completed. This review serves as an evidence base and represents an important step toward further advocacy for the integration of the four WHO European Region indicators on civil society and community engagement into the country’s routine monitoring system.
The review highlights the key role of CSOs in strengthening people-centred TB care in Azerbaijan. It analyzes and synthesizes national policies, legal and regulatory frameworks, research findings, and programmatic data to assess how CSO participation is documented, measured, and integrated into the national TB response.
It is important to note that although cooperation with CSOs is included in the National Strategic Plan, the existing legal and financial mechanisms in the country continue to limit sustainable and systematic engagement. Administrative barriers, short-term grant funding, and the absence of fully operational social contracting mechanisms still hinder the long-term provision of people-centred TB services by communities and CSOs.
Nevertheless, civil society actors make a significant contribution by providing patient support, outreach, stigma reduction, research, and advocacy initiatives. Such work is often implemented with financial support from international partners, including the Global Fund.
The review identifies several key priorities to strengthen meaningful community engagement and improve TB outcomes: reinforcing monitoring systems, integrating community-generated data into national surveillance systems, and expanding sustainable financing mechanisms.
In conclusion, the desk review emphasizes that developing structured approaches to measuring CSO engagement and strengthening partnerships between government institutions, communities, and civil society will be essential for achieving the goals of the WHO European Region TB Action Plan for 2023–2030.
The review was conducted by the “Saglamliga Khidmat” Public Union as part of the implementation of Component 2 of the Global Fund Strategic Initiative for 2024–2026.
