Even though tuberculosis (TB) is preventable and curable, it is the top infectious killer worldwide, claiming around 4400 lives a day. TB also remains the leading cause of death among people living with HIV, causing one in three AIDS-related deaths. However, progress has been made―TB-related deaths among people living with HIV peaked in 2005, at 600 000 deaths; since then, they have halved, to 300 000 in 2017.

Leaders from both the private and public sectors have called for fresh investment models for new technologies and the smarter roll-out of innovations to end AIDS and tuberculosis by 2030.

Five countries met the target three years ahead of the 2020 deadline and 18 more are on track; however, most countries are lagging behind and risk missing the target completely. UNAIDS urges countries to step up action.   

On 22 November, at a meeting held in Minsk, Belarus, countries from across eastern Europe and central Asia signed the Statement on Expanding Access to Affordable and Quality Assured Medicines and Diagnostic Technologies for HIV, Tuberculosis and Viral Hepatitis (Minsk 2).

During the Interactive Civil Society Hearing on TB on June 4 at the UN Headquarters in New York, UNAIDS is organizing a civil society-focused lunchtime event on community responses to TB/HIV. All are welcome.

At its 41st meeting, the UNAIDS Program Coordinating Board (PCB) agreed that the theme for its 42nd meeting will be: “Ending tuberculosis and AIDS – a joint response in the era of the Sustainable Development Goals”

GENEVA, 24 March 2017—On World Tuberculosis Day, 24 March, UNAIDS is urging countries to do much more to reduce the number of tuberculosis (TB) deaths among people living with HIV. TB is the most common cause of hospital admission and death among people living with HIV. In 2015, 1.1 million people died from an AIDS-related illness—around 400 000 of whom died from TB, including 40 000 children.

UNAIDS announces 18.2 million people on antiretroviral therapy, but warns that 15–24 years of age is a highly dangerous time for young women

Health ministers from eastern Europe and central Asia adopted on 3 November in Minsk, Belarus, a consensus statement on HIV and tuberculosis (TB) treatment for all, calling for expanded and rapidly scaled-up access to affordable, quality-assured medicines.

GENEVA, 17 October 2016—At the close of the 2016 BRICS Summit in Goa, India, leaders of the BRICS countries (Brazil, the Russian Federation, India, China and South Africa) have underlined the imperative of advancing cooperation and action to respond to the epidemics of HIV and tuberculosis.