Friday, March 2, 2012

WHO's updated policy for TB/HIV Collaboration

This important new policy emphasizes the need to maximise the delivery
of a range of medical and preventive interventions that are simplified, practical,
streamlined interventions that save lives:


Routine HIV testing for TB patients, people with symptoms of TB
(TB suspects), and their sexual partners or family members;

The use of a simple clinical algorithm for TB screening for PLHIV 
 that relies on the absence or presence of 4 symptoms: current cough,
weight loss, fever and night sweats, to identify people living with
HIV eligible for at least 6 months of isoniazid preventive therapy
(IPT) or for further diagnostic investigations for TB.

Provision of co-trimoxazole, a cost-effective medicine to prevent
against lung or other infections for all TB patients who are infected
with HIV;

Starting all TB patients with HIV on ART as soon as possible
(and within the first 2 weeks of starting anti-TB treatment) regardless
of immune system measurements;

HIV prevention in TB patients: Evidence-based methods to prevent
the acquisition of HIV for TB patients, their families and communities

Infection control in PLHIV


From: Universal Health