Priority is to up collaborative TB-HIV activities

There is convincing evidence that scaling up collaborative TB-HIV activities, improve TB and HIV programme performances. “In 2008, there were an estimated 9.4 million incident TB cases globally, more than at any other time in history. Of these, there were an estimated 1.4 million who were co-infected with HIV” said Professor (Dr) Anthony Harries, Senior Adviser to International Union Against Tuberculosis and Lung Disease (The Union) at the pre-conference session of the XVIII International AIDS Conference (IAC) in Vienna, Austria. ” In 2008, there were 1.8 million estimated deaths from TB, of whom 0.52 million were co-infected with HIV, giving an HIV-TB case fatality rate of 37% ” said Prof Harries. “The number of HIV co-infected TB cases is too high, and the number of HIV-associated TB deaths is too high” said Prof Harries. Read more Good news is that experts know what should be done to benefit public health – promote and effectively implement collaborative TB-HIV activities without delay! “The collaborative activities that are needed to reduce the joint burden of the two diseases are based around a) decreasing the burden of TB in people infected with HIV, b) decreasing the burden of HIV in patients with TB, and c) establishing mechanisms for collaboration between the two programmes” said Prof Harries. To improve the response, Prof Harries explains it in the above-mentioned three parts: A/ FOR PEOPLE LIVING WITH HIV B/ FOR PEOPLE WITH TB C/ ESTABLISHING MECHANISMS FOR COLLABORATION BETWEEN TB AND HIV PROGRAMMES A/ FOR PEOPLE LIVING WITH HIV “In people living with HIV (PLHIV) we must prevent TB through two strategies – 1) the three “I’s” and 2) early start of antiretroviral treatment (ART). The three I’s comprises: 1) Intensified case finding (ICF) 2) Infection control, and 3) Isoniazid preventive therapy (IPT).