HIV and tuberculosis are global health challenges that influence the medical community. HIV and tuberculosis are regarded as the two worst infectious diseases ever recorded. Moreover, tuberculosis is the primary cause of death among HIV-positive individuals; thus, this illness and HIV are tragically linked. The Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (2002) estimates that there are currently 38 million people living with HIV, roughly 2 billion people are infected with tuberculosis, and 10 million get active tuberculosis yearly. In addition, one in ten individuals with active tuberculosis also carries HIV. The Centers for Disease Control and Prevention’s efforts to halt the global spread of the two epidemics are motivated by the information it presents.
The HIV and tuberculosis pandemics have caused and will continue to present considerable challenges to emerging nations’ public health care systems, especially in the hardest-hit nations. They cause an increase in overall health expenditures for medical care and social support while claiming the lives of medical personnel in developing nations due to their infection with the disease. According to the Who policy on collaborative TB/HIV activities, HIV and tuberculosis contribute to rising health care costs and may lead resources to focus on providing AIDS patients with the necessary higher levels of care. As a result of the additional strains placed on public health finances, staff, and other resources, more individuals may seek private health care. Many households may have to choose between necessities such as food and medical care.
In many countries where HIV and tuberculosis are prevalent, neither local health care systems nor initiatives operated by outside donors have adequate pharmaceutical distribution mechanisms. The National Institutes of Health (NIH) is investigating how to incorporate NCD prevention, care, and treatment into HIV and tuberculosis programs already sponsored by CDC Country Offices. The analysis is being carried out with the assistance of PEPFAR and several LMICs. The PEPFAR-NCD program will target persons living with HIV and tuberculosis who receive adequate HIV therapy but are at risk of or have non-communicable illnesses. With this data, healthcare providers can enhance investments in the workforce, health infrastructure, and data systems to manage and prevent non-communicable diseases, thus managing HIV and tuberculosis.
References
Centers for Disease Control and Prevention. (2022). Global HIV and TB. Centers for Disease Control and Prevention. Web.
Who policy on collaborative TB/HIV activities – world health organization. (n.d.). Web.