TB and HIV/AIDS in Bangladesh

Abstract

Tuberculosis (TB) is the major opportunistic infection of acquired immunodeficiency syndrome (AIDS) in developing countries. The objective of this paper is to exemplify and review the findings associated with TB in patients with AIDS. 80 TB/AIDS-focused articles from latest internet and literature, including 3 leading Bangladesh daily newspapers between 1999-2009 were analyzed. According to the data provided by a Bangladesh Sheikh Mujib University, the number of detected people living with HIV/AIDS reached 204 as of December 2002. Most of them died of TB indicating the relationship between AIDS and TB. Measures needed in the future, if TB and HIV/AIDS are to be eliminated in Bangladesh. Tuberculosis (TB) is at least as old as human kind, one of the world's deadliest diseases and the history of the disorder is intertwined inevitably with the history of civilization. Break down in health services, the spread of HIV/AIDS and the emergence of multi drug resistant TB causing organisms are contributing to the worsening impact of this disease. Physicians say TB is one of the major syndromes of HIV infection. About 74,000 Bangladeshi people go abroad for jobs every year, which might be the sources of spreading HIV/AIDS, when they come back to the country. It has been known for some time that TB and AIDS are bedfellows. But as the government and civil society still seem impervious to this state of affairs, when the pandemic hits our shores. The AIDS program in Bangladesh and possibly others elsewhere, could consider adapting this experience, to support NGOs serving communities at highest risk towards greater funding for and co-ordination of the national NGO response. Given the link between TB and AIDS, such TB program could also work more closely with AIDS program to absorb some of the HIV surveillance responsibilities of the AIDS program, integrate clinical training and build in cross-referral systems. TB and AIDS target the marginalized; we should all be able to visualize the scale of the problem we would face. If TB and HIV/AIDS are not taken seriously soon, it will ravage our society. Key words: TB and HIV/AIDS, governmental policy and research.