The National TB Programme (NTP) in collaboration with STI and HIV and AIDS Directorate (SHAD) of the Ministry of Health convened a three-day workshop on TB/HIV co-management held in Maseru from March 8 to 10, 2011 to look for means of enhancing public health approaches to detection, prevention and treatment of Tuberculoisis (TB).

Speaking at the occasion, The NTP Programme Manager Dr. Llang Maama said the close relations between TB and HIV/AIDS cause the two Directorates (SHAD and NTP) to collaborate in combating the deadly diseases to ensure successful results.

The workshop emphasized the need for TB/HIV co-management therapy whereby all HIV positive people should be tested for TB and the same way TB patients should be tested for HIV. “The co-management of TB and HIV is crucial in prevention and successful treatment of TB in the country,” she added.

The TB clinics are also testing TB patients for HIV and administer ARV for eligible people living with AIDS whom upon their completion of TB treatment they are transferred back to their respective ART centre.

Dr. Maama indicated that the Ministry of Health is working hard to combat new infections and re-infections through disease control measures.

Participants at the workshop were medical doctors, TB mentors and TB Coordinators from CHAL and Government hospitals and other health practitioner from local stakeholders.

Facilitators were DR. Maama from Ministry of Health, Dr. Hind Satti from Partners in Health (PIH) and Dr. Lois Eldred, Director of policy and advocacy for the Consortium to Respond Effectively to AIDS/TB Epidemic (CREATE).

With a total of more than 270,000 people infected with HIV and AIDS, there is clearly need for more efforts in reversing the spread so as to curb other long term illnesses and diseases like TB.

According to statistics released by MOHSW in 2010, 13,140 TB patients were registered countrywide most of them were youths suffering from HIV and AIDS (76.9%) whereby 81% of them were treated successfully and cured.