Although the HIV/AIDS pandemic is leading to increased numbers of tuberculosis cases worldwide, and more people are dying of AIDS-related causes because of TB, governments are not adequately addressing the interaction between the two diseases, according to a Report release by the Public Health Watch project of the Open Society Institute, Reuters Health Reports
. The report, which was released in advance of the XVI International AIDS Conference
in Toronto next week -- examines the relationship between TB and HIV/AIDS and governmental responses to the two diseases in Bangladesh, Brazil, Nigeria, Tanzania and Thailand. It finds that widespread stigma; a lack of awareness; uncoordinated services; and a need for local, national and international mobilization are intensifying the TB/HIV co-epidemic, particularly in sub-Saharan Africa. Governments and the international community have got to realize they have on their hands two simultaneous and interrelated catastrophes," UN Special Envoy for AIDS in Africa Stephen Lewis said, adding, "We must confront both together. We need more resources. We need diagnostics. We need better drugs"
Although Bangladesh, Brazil, Nigeria, Tanzania and Thailand have varying TB/HIV co-epidemics, the governments of all five countries need to increase coordination of TB and HIV/AIDS policies and programs. The stigma and discrimination associated with TB and HIV/AIDS keep many people living with the diseases from seeking treatment -- an issue compounded by a lack of adequate diagnostic tools. One-third of all sputum smear samples from HIV-positive people are correctly diagnosed as positive for TB, and any delay in TB treatment among people living with HIV can be fatal, there is a lack of knowledge about TB and TB/HIV co-infection among the public and policymakers in the five countries. People living with HIV/AIDS often do not have basic knowledge about TB even though they are at an increased risk of developing the disease. Advocates, donors and policymakers need to make a commitment to improve social mobilization around TB and TB/HIV co-infection and reduce TB incidence and mortality among HIV-positive people worldwide Let us generate interest in the relationship between TB and HIV/AIDS during the International AIDS Conference.