Durban, as the 6th South African AIDS Conference got into full swing the Gauteng Health Department announced that it has already given Isoniazid preventative prophylaxis to 9 000 HIV positive people in the 2012/13 financial year alone. The department also announced that it was overhauling its medical supply depot to improve efficiencies and deliveries.
It is estimated that around 70% of new adult cases of tuberculosis in South Africa are co-infected with HIV. To prevent tuberculosis (TB) in HIV-infected individuals Minister Aaron Motsoaledi announced the institution of 'massive INH prophylaxis for certain categories of HIV positive people' in July 2010. The Minister also announced that all people living with HIV should be screened for active TB and eligibility for ART.
The Gauteng Health department has since made progress in this regard and has also reported a TB cure rate of 83, 9% which is the highest in the country. The department has also installed Genexpert machines in 20 facilities which revolutionises the diagnosis of TB and MDR so that those diagnosed are put on treatment immediately. The department is also in the process of overhauling operations at its medical supply depot to ensure that there are never 'drug stock outs' and improve efficiencies.
TB is the leading cause of illness and mortality for HIV-infected individuals worldwide yet with the raging HIV/TB epidemics the implementation of TB screening, and rates of IPT use are still abysmal, noted the Conference.The Conference also received presentations on what needs to be done as 'TB has found comfort in HIV'.
