The difference in the magnitude of TB in relation to HIV could not be greater than it is between China and southern Africa where more than half of TB patients are infected with HIV compared to approximately 1% in China.
Nevertheless, the China Centre for Disease Control and Prevention and National Centre for Tuberculosis Control and Prevention (NCTB) decided The Union's experiences with TB-HIV collaboration in southern Africa would benefit them in making plans for their own TB-HIV activities. Consequently, NCTB arranged a seminar from 26 to 27 March 2012 in Beijing, which was attended by 30 representatives of the national tuberculosis and HIV/AIDS programmes, the Beijing Research Institute for Tuberculosis Control, the Chinese Medical Association, large chest hospitals and the Damien Foundation.
The speakers at the seminar were Dr Riitta Dlodlo from The Union Zimbabwe Office; Dr Lin Yan, Director of The Union China Office in Beijing; and Professor Zhou Lin and Dr Lau Yuji of the NCTB. The sessions covered a wide range of topics, including both active TB case finding in general and intensified TB case finding among persons living with HIV; the 2012 revision of the World Health Organization policy for collaborative TB-HIV activities; and progress towards its implementation globally and in Malawi and Zimbabwe, in particular.
Implications of the ways the policy has been made operational in these countries were then debated with a view of making recommendations to the Chinese government on TB-HIV collaborative services.