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| World Tuberculosis Day: integrating tuberculosis control in HIV programmes is essential to curb co-infection 14 March 2008 The International Federation of Red Cross and Red Crescent Societies is committed to the systematic integration of tuberculosis control in Red Cross and Red Crescent HIV programmes at community level, particularly in countries where co-infection has become a public health emergency. According to the World Health Organization (WHO), 250,000 people living with HIV develop tuberculosis (TB) every year. Some 14 million adults are co-infected with TB and HIV – and 70% of them live in Africa. “Tuberculosis is the major cause of death among people living with HIV,” explains Dr. Bruce Eshaya-Chauvin, head of the International Federation’s Health and Care Department in Geneva. “It is essential we integrate tuberculosis control into our HIV and AIDS programmes to effectively curb the pandemic. TB is curable, even in HIV-positive people. HIV is aggravating the tuberculosis pandemic and we must fight the two together.” Every day, more than 6,000 people worldwide die of AIDS and some 4,400 die of tuberculosis. WHO estimates there are nearly nine million new TB cases every year, and, of the 1.6 million who die of the disease every year, some 195,000 are HIV-positive. “Red Cross and Red Crescent community-based programmes have proven effective in reaching and caring for both people living with HIV and for tuberculosis patients,” notes Lasha Goguadze, Federation Senior Health Officer in Geneva. “There are many similarities in the care they provide. In both cases, our volunteers and staff ensure patients take their medication correctly, provide them with food when needed, as well as with social and psychological support, and also play a key role in fighting the stigma associated to both HIV and TB. Integrating the programmes is therefore a logical step and a cost-effective measure.” Currently, more than 25 Red Cross and Red Crescent Societies, in Eastern Europe, Central Asia and Africa are caring for some 30,000 TB patients, many of whom are also HIV-positive. With the highest HIV/TB prevalence rates in eastern and southern Africa, Red Cross Societies in Kenya, Mozambique and South Africa – among others - are increasingly integrating TB to HIV and AIDS home-based care projects to address co-infection and the rising number of TB cases. In Mozambique alone, 48% of adult TB patients are HIV-positive. In addition, Federation programmes to fight multi-drug resistant tuberculosis (MDR-TB) will be increased eight-fold over the next four years, in more than 10 countries, including Kazakhstan, Uzbekistan, Romania, Russian Federation, Georgia, Kenya, Mozambique, and South Africa. “Prompt and concerted action of all concerned partners is vital to significantly decrease the number of deaths from TB, especially on the African continent,” underlines Bruce Eshaya-Chauvin. “More people are dying of tuberculosis today than ever before. This is why Red Cross and Red Crescent Societies are significantly scaling up the integration of TB and HIV community health care activities.” In 2004, the International Federation joined the Global Stop TB Partnership, a network of more than 500 partners, whose aim is to halve the prevalence and death rates of TB by 2015. For further information, or to set up interviews, please contact: Marie-Françoise Borel, Information Officer Tel: + 41 22 730 43 46 / + 41 79 217 33 45 Federation media duty phone Tel: + 41 79 416 38 81 The Geneva-based International Federation promotes the humanitarian activities of 186 National Red Cross and Red Crescent Societies among vulnerable people. By coordinating international disaster relief and encouraging development support, it seeks to prevent and alleviate human suffering. The Federation, National Societies and the International Committee of the Red Cross together, constitute the International Red Cross and Red Crescent Movement. © International Federation of Red Cross and Red Crescent Societies |
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