Impact of social franchising on TB contact investigation and uptake of TB preventive therapy.

Background: TB continues to pose significant public health challenges in high-burden regions such as Kano State, Nigeria, where private health sector engagement in TB control is notably lacking. The Social Franchising for TB Contact Investigation (SOFT) model was introduced to leverage private healthcare to increase the reach and efficacy of TB control efforts.

Methods: This nine-month project supported mapping health facilities, training of community health workers and systematic TB contact screening. The SOFT model aimed to enhance TB control by integrating private healthcare facilities and community-based organisations to improve TB yield, contact investigation and uptake of TB Preventive Therapy (TPT).

Results: The project showed a consistent increase in TB case detection, with a significant rise in index TB cases identified and their contacts screened each quarter. There was also a marked increase in the number of household contacts screened and initiated on TPT, demonstrating the model's effectiveness in enhancing TB control efforts.

Conclusion: The integration of social franchising with community and private healthcare engagement presents a scalable and innovative approach to improving TB control in high-burden settings. This model contributes significantly to global TB elimination efforts by improving detection rates and TPT uptake.