According to recent WHO data, only 1% of people living with HIV/AIDS have been screened for TB. Some 200 000 co-infected persons died last year in Africa alone, an official estimate that is doubtless too low.

Dr. Jim Yong Kim, of Harvard, called co-infection with TB “an absolutely critical issue”.

He said in some parts of Africa more than 90% of HIV-infected people have TB. The disease can be difficult to diagnose, but TB is curable. The reason for such a low screening rate, he said, is that systems designed for HIV intervention have been relatively narrow ones, focused on providing HIV drugs. What is now needed is an integrated approach to service delivery.

Faith McLellan

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