TB and HIV/AIDS in the South-East Asia Region

Tuberculosis and HIV/AIDS are both major public health problems in the South-East Asia Region of WHO. Of the 20 million people suffering from active TB globally, 8 million are in this Region. Each year, three million new cases of TB are added and nearly three-quarters of a million die of the disease. At the same time, the Region is home to nearly 6 million people living with HIV/AIDS or nearly 18% of PHA, the largest proportion following sub-Saharan Africa, making it the second highest Region affected by HIV in the world.

The SEA Region has been the first to initiate joint annual meetings for the national TB and HIV programme managers of Member Countries. This has led to laying the foundation for collaboration between the two programmes. The second joint meeting of National HIV/AIDS and TB Programme Managers from Member Countries in the SEA Region was held between the 19-22 November 2002 at Colombo, Sri Lanka.