Expansion of TB/HIV centres a priority - WHO

The World Health Organisation (WHO) has listed the rapid expansion of HIV testing and TB centres as the key element of its new initiative to tackle AIDS and TB co-infections in developing countries. The main focus of the initiative would be Africa, where 70 percent of the world's 14 million co-infected people live. In a statement, WHO Director-General, Dr Lee Jong-Wook, said: "TB and HIV is a deadly combination and needs to be tackled with an approach treating the whole person. With effective treatment, TB can be cured, HIV managed, and the health of millions of people preserved." Research suggests that TB is perhaps the most widespread and deadly opportunistic infection associated with HIV/AIDS.