24 March - Today is World TB Day

Tuberculosis (TB) kills approximately 2 million people each year. The global epidemic is growing and becoming more dangerous. The breakdown in health services, the spread of HIV/AIDS and the emergence of multidrug-resistant TB - are contributing to the worsening impact of this disease.

For more information - fact-sheets, links, conference information - see the STOP TB home page at: http://www.stoptb.org/default.asp Two Diseases, One Person: Advocacy and Collaboration for TB and HIV World TB Day 2004 Conference:
When: 24 - 25 March 2004
Where: Ottawa, Ontario, Canada

Almost 30% of people with HIV are also infected TB. TB is the most common opportunistic infection among people with HIV and is a leading cause of death among people who are HIV positive. In more and more countries the epidemic of TB and HIV are fueling each other. TB/HIV impacts on economic development and poses new challenges to health and social systems which increasingly have to address issues such as integrating HIV and TB services, facilitating access to drugs and treatment, and caring for infected people.

TB is the most common opportunistic infection and alleading cause of death among people who are HIV positive. The program addresses TB advocacy and collaboration for TB and HIV under three major headings:

Canadian Organizations involved in International TB Control Quantitative Outcome Measures and Qualitative Evaluation: Complementary Approaches for More Effective Programming Global Partner Update-From the Global Partners Forum, New Delhi, India.

Putting It All Together: Integrating Advocacy Efforts
For More Information: http://www.stoptb.ca/conferences.html

Drug-Resistant TB Is Rampant

March 16, 2004
By DONALD G. McNEIL Jr./The New York Times
There may be as many as 300,000 new cases of drug-resistant tuberculosis a year in the world, and 79 percent of them are.