Student
Dissertation 3rd Batch 
A Situation Assessment of Interface And Collaboration between Tb and Hiv/Aids Programmes in Dhaka, Bangladesh
Christine Zawedde
Abstract
It is argued that global targets in combating TB and HIV co-infection can be met with renewed attention to TB/HIV collaborative activities combined with increased political commitment (Laserson & Wells, 2007). This is a very crucial consideration taking into account that worldwide 14 million people are co-infected with TB and HIV. In 1991, the World Health Assembly (WHA) set targets of 70% case detection and 85% cure under Directly Observed Therapy- Short course (DOTS) for TB (Kumaresan et al., 2004). This was followed by the WHO ‘interim policy on collaborative TB/HIV activities’, which outlines a 12-step strategy to facilitate this collaboration (WHO, 2004). In this respect, Bangladesh joined the effort to address this co-infection. Although the proportion of HIV-positive patients among adult TB patients was low, estimated at 0.1 percent, the high incidence of latent TB infection in Bangladesh and rising HIV prevalence among high- risk groups presented a ripe situation for a sharp increase in TB/HIV co-infection rates in the general population (WHO, 2006). It is for this reason that the call made by WHA and WHO become critical and the need to investigate and establish whether or not the relevant mechanisms were put in place to meet the challenges.
