Because of the overlapping global incidence of tuberculosis (TB) and human immunodeficiency virus (HIV) infections, collaborative efforts are required for successful TB and HIV control programs.
We expect the RTB/HIV of a specific area or country to vary within certain limits over time; accordingly, this indicator can reveal unexpected co-dynamics with data collected independently by TB and HIV control programs for other purposes.
Around 2 billion individuals have latent TB and MDR-TB is currently threatening the success of both the TB and HIV control programs worldwide.
In recent years, national tuberculosis control programs have experienced great difficulties in incorporating HIV testing in drug-resistant tuberculosis surveillance activities, because this requires strong collaboration and coordination between tuberculosis and HIV control programs.
This observed reduction in excess female mortality in the late period could suggest that gender inequities in HIV-related deaths are being successfully addressed by HIV control programs such as the national ART scale-up program in Kenya.
Therefore, policy makers need to consider how new interventions can be adopted by TB and HIV control programs, and implemented on a sustainable basis in the pastoral communities to limit the spread of HIV infection.
For instance, HIV control programs engage the community, involving fellow patients as peer educators and utilizing community health workers (CHWs) in home-based care, with demonstrated specific benefit to patient wellbeing and clinical outcomes (22).
The successes engaging these populations in research settings as seen in the article by Huet et al are encouraging, however key questions remain regarding the sustainability of these efforts as patients are transitioned back to national HIV control programs, many of which are struggling even to maintain the current panels in care in the face declining external funding for HIV care.
The increasing emphasis on partner notification in human immunodeficiency virus (HIV) control programs is backed by empirical evidence showing that it is an effective strategy for preventing transmission of HIV to sexual partners and for promoting early diagnosis and prompt treatment of those found to be infected.
Nevertheless, regional and social inequalities in accessing healthcare services, the low implementation of the second anti-HIV serological test, and the lower coverage of testing among women with characteristics associated with greater prevalence of HIV infection indicate shortcomings in the HIV infection control programs during pregnancy.
