HIV

Created in 2002, The Union’s Department of HIV aims to develop models and best practices to help reduce the morbidity and mortality caused by the dual epidemic of tuberculosis (TB) and HIV. Despite the fact that HIV infection can be managed with antiretroviral medications, and tuberculosis is curable, the most recently available data indicate that over two million people died from HIV in 2007 and over one and a half million from tuberculosis in 2006.

Approximately one third of individuals with HIV are also infected with Mycobacterium tuberculosis. It is estimated that there are more than nine million cases per year of tuberculosis worldwide. TB is a significant problem in countries with high HIV prevalence and remains the most common cause of mortality among people living with HIV/AIDS. The greatest burden of this dual epidemic of TB and HIV is in the developing world, particularly in sub-Saharan Africa.

The Union joined international efforts to address these two diseases by launching its programme of Integrated HIV Care for Tuberculosis Patients Living with HIV/AIDS (IHC) in 2005. The IHC programme now serves patients in Benin, Democratic Republic of Congo, Myanmar, Uganda and Zimbabwe.