4TH TB/HIV WORKING GROUP GLOBAL MEETING EMERGING PLWHA – LED TB/HIV ADVOCACY MOVEMENT IN UGANDA By Lillian K Mworeko & Dorothy Namutamba National Forum of PLHA Networks In Uganda Addis Ababa 20th – 21st Sept.2004

Background While there has been a lot of advocacy & activism towards favourable policies, access to resources for HIV & AIDS activities in Uganda & Ensuring that GIPA moves from a principle to Practice TB/HIV working Group

Background cont’d TB is not yet in the agenda of the HIV community including in the HIV and AIDS advocacy of PLWHA HIV is not yet fully in the agenda of the TB community. TB/HIV working Group

Background cont’d Yet it is globally recognized that these are in most cases “two diseases in one patient”. TB/HIV working Group

TB/HIV Globally, approximately 12 billion people are infected with TB and 40 million people are infected with HIV The intersection between people living with both TB and HIV is 14 million people. TB/HIV working Group

Uganda’s situation It is estimated that currently in Uganda, 530,000 people are living with HIV and Between 50-55% of TB patients are HIV+, having fallen from 66.6% in 1990 and the ratio of Male:Female is 1:1 TB/HIV working Group

Uganda’s situation cont’d A recent study by Uganda Prisons Service has revealed that 40% of deaths in prisons are due to TB And that about 20% of the deaths were believed to be due to HIV/AIDS related illnesses. (The New Vision Tuesday, August 17th 2004, vol. 19 No.196) TB/HIV working Group

Uganda’s situation cont’d Uganda lacks a TB/HIV coordinating body, joint TB/HIV planning and monitoring & evaluation of TB/HIV (Global Tuberculosis Control – WHO Report 2004). TB/HIV working Group

Background to the formation of the TB/HIV Advocacy Group The National Forum of PLHA Networks in Uganda is an organisation, whose mission is to unite & coordinate all networks and groups of people living with HIV & AIDS in Uganda for a concerted effort to the HIV & AIDS national response. Established in May 2003 after identification, acknowledgement & recognition of gaps among PLHA initiatives in the national response. TB/HIV working Group

Formation of the TB/HIV Advocacy Group cont’d Two members of the National Forum were invited & participated in the TB Advocacy & Mobilisation workshop in Nairobi in July 2004 TB/HIV working Group

Commitment Committed to translate what was learnt into action TB/HIV working Group

Ultimate Goal: Decreasing the burden of HIV in TB patients Decreasing the burden of TB in HIV patients TB/HIV working Group

Objectives To ensure the establishment of a mechanism for: - collaboration between TB and HIV/AIDS programmes. Integration of TB and HIV services To advocate for favourable TB/HIV policies. TB/HIV working Group

Activities done Drawn a TB/HIV work plan Held a meeting with the PLHA Constituency Elected a TB/HIV Working Group Made a presentation to Reps of the National HIV/AIDS Partnership with the aim of: TB/HIV working Group

Activities done cont’d Educating them on the need for HIV/TB Collaboration Integration of services and Seeking for their technical, financial, and moral support TB/HIV working Group

Way forward Carry out consultative meetings with WHO, MOH & UAC on the way forward Consultative meetings with CSO dealing with the two diseases Meetings with the communities living with the two diseases Conduct public dialogue and media programmes TB/HIV working Group

Way forward cont’d Advocate to ensure that the TB & HIV bodies: - appreciate the need for a TB/HIV coordinating body and - Optimize the available resources TB/HIV working Group

Way forward cont’d VCT Clinical coordination Feed back Peer support Filling the gap of IEC to target populations particularly on : VCT Clinical coordination Feed back Peer support Monitoring of the patients TB/HIV working Group

Together for a positive difference TB/HIV working Group