Africa: dependable supply of HIV testing reagents needed for crucial early stage TB/HIV testing
This article was originally published in Clinica
Executive Summary
Lack of a regular supply of HIV testing reagents is hindering the progress of an integrated TB/HIV testing programme in Malawi. The problem is highlighted in a review of a 2003-2005 HIV testing plan recently published in The International Journal of Public Health 2007 (Bulletin of the World Health Organization). Despite this setback, the initiative's effort to scale up HIV testing for TB and HIV-positive TB patients (one among several objectives) was successful, achieving an increase in HIV tests from 15% in 2003 to 47% in 2005.