The Union and municipal health services departments in Harare and Bulwayo have been working together for two years to deliver TB-HIV services, and they have seen considerable success. More than 1,100 patients have been treated at 3 pilot sites, and a recent report shows that this programme has an exceptionally high enrolment in ART (71-86%).

The collaboration between The Union and the municipal health services departments in Harare and Bulawayo marked the end of its second year in September 2009. The partners have consolidated patient enrolment and launched the Integrated HIV Care for TB Patients Living with HIV/AIDS (IHC) Programme at three pilot sites.

The IHC programme entails offering individuals with tuberculosis and their family contacts HIV testing and counselling, and appropriate HIV care, if they are found to be HIV-positive. Most services are provided by nurses with support from medical officers.

The Union has facilitated TB-HIV training for health professionals in Harare and Bulawayo and ensured that there is strong support for staff supervision. As a result, these TB-HIV services are gaining momentum as shown in table below.

Registered TB patients and their HIV diagnosis and care in Bulawayo and Harare from January 2008 to June 2009

A total of 1,141 TB patients have benefited from decentralised TB-HIV services provided at the pilot sites. Of these, 872 (76%) were HIV tested; 725 (83% of the tested individuals) found to be HIV-positive; and 582 (80%) were started on anti-retroviral therapy (ART). Almost all of the eligible co-infected patients were also started on cotrimoxazole preventive therapy, and their family contacts were offered tuberculosis and HIV screening, as recommended by the national policies.

The exceptionally high ART enrolment in this population of HIV-positive TB patients is attributed to activities to build awareness in the communities, motivated health care staff, the availability of essential commodities and easy access to decentralised services in an urban setting where services are provided at the same site for both conditions.

For more information about the Zimbabwe IHC Programme, please contact Dr Riitta Dlodlo at This e-mail address is being protected from spam bots, you need JavaScript enabled to view it

Including partners of co-infected TB patients in 2008 but not in six months of 2009