2022 CDC U.S. TB Elimination Champions

Left to Right: Tommy Camden, Nicole Meditz, Miranda Villanueva, Adrian De La Cruz, Kimberly Bocanegra, Jacquline Maldonado, Rosamaria Ortiz, Carol Staton, Leticia Pinzon, Yolanda Cantu, Norma Wagoner, Norma Santos

Breathe Easy South Texas (B.E.S.T.) is a collaboration of governmental and private agencies specifically dedicated to performing targeted testing and treatment of latent TB infection. B.E.S.T. promotes health equity with continual emphasis on identifying vulnerable groups in this region and engaging with patients at high risk, thereby reducing economic, social, and health services barriers to target, test, and treat latent TB infection effectively and efficiently.

Dr. Connie Haley

Dr. Connie Haley works tirelessly to educate TB clinicians, including nurses, advance practice providers and physicians. Providing consultative services across a wide geographical area to ensure practitioners deliver second-to-none TB care without regard for patients’ ability to pay, Dr. Haley has had an exponential impact on TB elimination. Not even the COVID-19 pandemic has deterred her in this mission.

From left to right: Elna Nesbitt, Merci Cruz, Thao Ngo, Patsey Guzman and Cecelia Zuniga

During the pandemic, Harris County Public Health kept services to their community operational and added additional clinic days to meet patient demand. When patients in the TB program reported food insecurity due to job loss, Harris County Public Health partnered with a local food bank to deliver 14 days’ worth of food to patients with TB disease and their families.

Amy Hill, RN

Amy Hill, RN, has worked hard to expand TB services through the Oklahoma State Department of Health and aid in the COVID-19 response. Amy urged her team to expand their knowledge and stay engaged with community needs for education and nurse consulting. She and her team used their experience in contact investigations to assist with the COVID-19 response. Amy ensures her team has the resources needed to assist with any community requests to support the goal of TB elimination.

From left to right: Tiffany Chiu, Evanson Mukira, Marie Vallido, Daniel Chen, Dr. Eriko Masuda, Dr. Ellsworth Pryor, Dr. Maita Kuvhenguhwa, Dr. Erin Dizon

Martin Luther King Jr. Hospital serves a community that is affected by health disparities. During a time when the COVID-19 pandemic was at its worst, the Infection Prevention Team continued to prioritize TB care, preserving critical beds for TB patients. The team works with the Los Angeles County Department of Public Health, so that discharge planning for people with TB disease begins at admission. The team supports patient’s medical and social needs. Together they provide a smooth return to the community for the patient while protecting the community and providing a positive outcome. In addition, the physicians reach out proactively to coordinate latent TB infection treatment for people who need help completing treatment for latent TB infection, so their efforts go beyond treating TB disease.

Left to right: First row: Mayra Villegas, Ella Harris, Dr. Edward Moreno, Bergit Arctander; Second row: Christian Dunbar, Monica Zavala with Lizbeth Carmona Lopez, Kristy Michie, Dr. Alan Radner; Third row: Brandon Gates, Bernard Fung, Diksha Ramnani
Elaine Estrada (not pictured)

The Monterey County TB Control Unit successfully managed a TB outbreak among agricultural workers amid the ongoing COVID-19 pandemic. The team effectively coordinated with a private business, community providers, and workers to conduct contact investigations. Through this effort, the team identified additional people with TB disease and treated over 100 essential workers with latent TB infection. Their efforts brought services to a community struggling against economic marginalization and limited healthcare access.

Left to right: First row- Jana Musial, Angie Padilla, Julie Morgan, Center photo-Dr. Christine Wu, Second row- Gloria Doyel, Jahara Cayabyab, Lorato Okon

Solano County Public Health TB Control Program used their contact tracing skills to support the COVID-19 response from the early days of the pandemic. Their COVID-19 response focused on prevention and used a risk-based approach to protect the most vulnerable people in their community. The TB Control Program team was able to maintain TB services and further TB prevention efforts while also prioritizing support for the COVID-19 response.

TB Elimination Alliance

The TB Elimination Alliance (TEA) is a national partnership of community leaders dedicated to eliminating TB and latent TB infection inequities among Asian American and Native Hawaiian/Pacific Islander populations through education, raising awareness, and innovation. TEA conducts outreach to underserved Asian American and Native Hawaiian/Pacific Islander communities; increases awareness and understanding of culturally and linguistically appropriate latent TB infection/TB testing and treatment strategies; shares resources and best practices among providers and develops partnerships to scale existing initiatives. TEA has convened multiple summits and webinars, awarded 25 mini-grants to community organizations, developed a Strategic Plan; and launched communication channels to engage TEA members and partners.