THE close proximity of large numbers of workers in often unsanitary conditions, and with little access to protective measures create the conditions for air borne infections such as TB and blood-borne viruses such as HIV and hepatitis to thrive. The trade unions advocacy to stop TB will press government health programmes to reach all people in need of care for TB/HIV by integrating the services that provide diagnosis and treatment for both conditions, and also need to increase the resources needed to accomplish these goals. Another overarching objective is to galvanise civil society organisations, communities affected by HIV, and the private sector to form a strong partnership aimed at jointly addressing TB/HIV. We call on government to promote full access to HIV/TB services for workers without proper treatment. About nine out of ten people with HIV get up and go to work each day can become ill with active TB and die within two to three months. These partnerships have led to the creation of policies and guidelines to deal with HIV-related TB and communities and organisations must take important steps towards integrating their HIV and TB responses. However, more collaborative action is needed to widely implement programmes, including those that:
* Offer HIV testing and counselling to all TB patients
* Screen TB treatment or preventive therapy to all co-infected people
* Provide cotrimoxazole and anti-retroviral treatment to all TB patients with HIV
* Ensure TB infection control in all health care facilities and HIV prevalence settings.
Workplaces are important and valuable venues for an integrated HIV and TB respone. Maintaining productivity benefits companies, enhances the lives of workers and their families, and mitigates the effects of the HIV epidemic on the community. Specific interventions in the workplace can include TB prevention programmes DOTS for workers receiving treatment, HIV counselling and testing programmes and links to or onsite care and support programmes for workers with TB and HIV.