Brazzaville, 29 August 2007 -- The World Health Organization (WHO) has proposed a strategy for the control of the dual tuberculosis (TB) and HIV/AIDS epidemic in the African Region.

The strategy, developed by the WHO Regional Office for Africa, outlines key interventions aimed at strengthening collaboration between TB and HIV control programmes, reducing the burden of TB among People Living with HIV/AIDS, and of HIV among TB patients.

The main pillars of the strategy unveiled Wednesday by WHO Regional Director for Africa, Dr Luis Sambo, at the fifty-seventh session of the WHO Regional Committee for Africa taking place in Brazzaville, Republic of Congo, are:

• developing improved mechanisms for collaboration between TB and AIDS programmes
• improving prevention, case-finding and treatment of TB among people living with HIV/AIDS
• improving access to HIV testing and counselling and antiretroviral therapy among TB patients
• implementing infection control measures as an integral part of joint TB/HIV interventions
• strengthening communication and healthcare worker awareness on the importance of TB and HIV co-infection
• mobilizing additional financial and other resources for meaningful scale up of proposed interventions, and
• continuing intensification of operational research for better understanding and evaluation of the impact of interventions.

WHO estimates that the African Region, with just 10% of the world’s population, accounts for at least 25% of notified TB cases every year. The region is also home to about 75% of women and nearly 90% of children living with HIV/AIDS.

Dr Sambo stated that TB and HIV co-infection was the most important factor driving the TB epidemic in the African Region where about 35% of TB patients are also infected with HIV. TB accounts for approximately 40% of deaths in people living with HIV and AIDS.

The Regional Director delineated the specific responsibilities of countries , WHO and other partners in tackling the dual TB and HIV/AIDS epidemic , stressing that joint delivery of services is imperative to accelerate the scale up of interventions on TB and HIV/AIDS towards universal access.

For more information contact:

Technical contact

Dr Ruis Vaz

Tel: + 47 241 39427

Email: vazr [at] afro.who.int

Media Contact

Samuel T. Ajibola

Tel: + 47 241 39378

Email: ajibolas [at] afro.who.int