Trending To Day

Aarti Dhar, CNS Correspondent, India (First published in theindiasaga.com) Tuberculosis (TB) and Human Immunodeficiency Virus (HIV) pose a serious health risk. According to the World Health Organisation (WHO) , the risk of developing TB is estimated to be between 26 and 31 times greater in people living with HIV (PLHIV). In 2015, there were an estimated 10.4 million new TB cases worldwide, of which PHLIV accounted for 1.2 million (11%) cases. TB caused 400,000 deaths among the PLHIV of the 1.4 million who died of TB in the same year. The TB-HIV co-infection is potentially lethal combination. When a person develops HIV, his/her immune system loses its ability to fight off infections, making him/her more vulnerable to other infections like TB. PLHIV are especially vulnerable to TB in countries where TB is common. Roughly, 75% of PLHIV who contract TB live in sub-Saharan Africa. In some countries of this region, up to 80% of individuals with active TB disease are also HIV-positive. TB-HIV...

[ Watch webinar recording ] [ Listen or download the audio podcast ] In lead up to World AIDS Day 2016 let us recollect governments' promise to end AIDS and TB by 2030. But TB continues to be a lead killer for people living with HIV. What more needs to happen to meet SDGs by 2030? [ Watch webinar recording ] | [ Listen or download the audio podcast ] Date: Wednesday, 30th November 2016 Time: 1pm - 2pm Geneva time (To convert to different time zones, click here or go to www.timeanddate.com/worldclock ) The WHO Global TB Report 2016 shows increase (not decrease) in TB cases and TB deaths. Rate of TB decline is majorly falling short to end TB by 2030. TB continues to be a lead cause of death for people living with HIV. TB being curable and preventable, this is unacceptable ! 47th Union World Conference on Lung Health had key messages around TB HIV. Learn more from experts in this webinar. Unless TB and HIV affected communities are central to health responses, we will fail to meet ...

Shobha Shukla, Citizen News Service - CNS The first press meet at the 47th Union World Conference on Lung Health , being currently held in Liverpool, saw the Ministers of Health from Philippines, Sri Lanka and Zimbabwe reflect on the successes and challenges of responding to the global epidemic of TB, tobacco related diseases and Non-Communicable Diseases (NCDs). Jose Luis Castro, Executive Director of the International Union Against Tuberculosis and Lung Disease (The Union) set the ball rolling by saying that although the latest estimates of the global TB burden were very disturbing (10.4 million new TB cases and 1.8 million TB deaths in 2015), all is not lost. There is still hope to reverse the tide as we know what is to be done - business cannot be as usual . WHO's endorsement of the 9-month short regimen for MDR-TB treatment is one such positive step in the direction of meeting the global goal of ending TB by 2030. Countries will now have to start the process for its roll-ou...

Shobha Shukla, Citizen News Service - CNS Community focus was the overriding theme at the Annual TB Alliance Stakeholders Association Meeting held in Liverpool, just ahead of the 47th Union World Conference on Lung Health . Community representatives, Maurine Murenga and Sarah Mulera , shared their experiences from the ground, regarding the powerful, yet under utilised, role which affected and key populations can play to turn the tide against TB. Maurine , who is living with HIV, lost her father to TB in 1999 due to drug stock outs, resulting in treatment interruption. She called stigma the mother of TB and human rights violations the grandmother of TB. She cited the general mistrust that exists between the community and researchers. Traditionally the community is not involved actively in the designing of research studies. And when sometimes these studies run into problems—they might take a long time to complete or cost too much money—the community participants are suddenly left in th...

Catherine Mwauyakufa, CNS Correspondent, Zimbabwe “Time is of essence in my job and I am conscious of it,” said Jason, who strives to see TB infection rates go down. Jaison Tarovedzera is a dedicated member of the Riders for Health team in Harare under the International Union Against Tuberculosis and Lung Disease (The Union) Zimbabwe . In an exclusive interview, Jaison told me that he rides to save lives and will ride until he is satisfied that the rate of new TB infections is minimal. I told Jaison that the initiative is to End TB by 2030, to which he replied, “Ending TB once for all would be ideal. However, for now I am focusing on lowering the rates of TB infection in the communities. No one must die of TB and that is why I ride with dedication”. Jaison’s motor bike had gone for servicing and he was using a truck on the day I met him. “My bike has broken down and is being serviced. The City of Harare, which is a partner in the End TB programme with the Ministry of Health, and Th...

[ Watch webinar record ing ] [ Listen or download the audio podcast ] We welcome you to register for an exclusive media webinar where experts from the W orld Health Organization (WHO) Global TB Programme and Int ernational Union Agains t Tuberculosis and Lung Disease (The Union) will share scientific highlights of the forthcoming 47th Union World Conference on Lung Health in L iverpoo l, UK. [ Watch webinar record ing ]   [ Listen or download the audio podcast ] The theme of this conferenc e is: " Confronting resistance: Fundamentals to innovation ". This webinar pr esents a great opportunity to interact with the WHO Global TB Programme and The Un i on e xpe rts on the latest TB related science that will be prese nte d at the conference later this month. Newest scientific updates on tuberculosis, drug resistance, or key findings of important studies which will be presented later at the conference , will be shared on the webi nar. E xperts from the WHO Global TB Progra...