Since February, 2008 Georgia Red Cross Society (GRCS) with the financial support of International Federation of Red Cross and Red Crescent Societies (IFRC) started the implementation of DR-TB Control Project. GRCS' project is a part of the National Program of Tuberculosis Control. GRCS' activities in fighting against TB, including DR-TB have three main directions: to participate in National DR-TB Control Program management; to raise community awareness and to combat stigma and discrimination against TB infected people.

Georgia Red Cross Society supports the National DR-TB Control Program by providing psychologists and social workers to recruit DR-TB clients for hospital treatment and to support them during the follow up care period.

The goal of the project is to improve health and social situation of DR-TB infected people in Georgia, to raise the public awareness on TB and to change public attitude towards TB infected people in a positive manner. To achieve the above mentioned goal Georgia Red Cross Soceity has contributed to the reduction of spread of DR-TB by raising public awareness on TB and participating in management of TB client treatment. Also GRCS has campaigned against stigmatization and discrimination of TB infected people.

In the framework of the National program for TB control (NTP), GRCS MDR TB team (psychologist, social workers and treatment adherence consultant) assessed the demographic data and social status of MRD TB clients. The clients' problems, their psychological status, level of awareness about tuberculosis have been studied. The specifics of further work have been determined.

In high risk TB regions of Georgia stigma is associated with TB. In order to combat stigma and discrimination first of all the National Society provides educational activities regarding TB transmission, importance of early TB diagnosis and TB treatment adherence; The National Society disseminates information booklets, leaflets and posters kindly provided by NTP.

Through 18-24 March, 2008 GRCS, in the framework of the National program for TB control GRCS was actively involved in the celebration week dedicated to Tuberculosis World Day. On March 24 GRCS organized actions dedicated to Tuberculosis World Day throughout Tbilisi and in six regions of Georgia. A big number of GRCS volunteers have been mobilized specially for this event. The actions started simultaneously in all parts of Georgia. GRCS volunteers distributed information leaflets at 21 metro stations of Tbilisi and also in most populous places of the city. The actions were concluded by a concert held at the lounge room of one of the largest Tbilisi metro stations. The concert was organized by GRCS and its participants were the students of Tbilisi schools for blind children.

On March 24, 2008 a new department for inpatient treatment of DR-TB patients was opened in Abastumani (South Georgia). The opening ceremony was organized by National TB Control Program management and was attended by Mrs. Sandra E. Roelofs, the First Lady of Georgia, the Minister of Health, Labour and Social Affairs, TB National program representatives, other TB Control Program donor organisations and GRCS representatives, and other guests. The First Lady of the Country in her interview given to ICRC mentioned the following: "It was good news to me that the Georgian National Society has expressed its interest in TB care. If this interest is genuine, I am ready to meet with them and discuss my involvement in guiding their efforts in order to perform efficiently and professionally, building upon my first lady status, my experience with the Red Cross movement and my knowledge as a third-year Nursing College student."