Voluntary Counselling, HIV Testing and Adjunctive Cotrimoxazole Reduces Mortality in Tuberculosis Patients in Thyolo, Malawi.

OBJECTIVES: To assess the feasibility and effectiveness of voluntary counselling, HIV testing and adjunctive cotrimoxazole in reducing mortality in a cohort of tuberculosis (TB) patients registered under routine programme conditions in a rural district of Malawi. DESIGN: 'Before' and 'after' cohort study using historical controls. METHODS: Between 1 July 1999 and 30 June 2000 all TB patients were started on standardized anti-TB treatment, and offered voluntary counselling and HIV testing (VCT). Those found to be HIV-positive were offered cotrimoxazole at a dose of 480 mg twice daily, provided there were no contraindications. Side-effects were monitored clinically. End-of-treatment outcomes in this cohort (intervention group) were compared with a cohort registered between 1 July 1998 and 30 June 1999 in whom VCT and cotrimoxazole was not offered (control group). FINDINGS: A total of 1986 patients was registered in the study: 1061 in the intervention group and 925 in the control cohort. In the intervention group, 1019 (96%) patients were counselled pre-test, 964 (91%) underwent HIV testing and 938 (88%) were counselled post-test. The overall HIV-seroprevalence rate was 77%. A total of 693 patients were given cotrimoxazole of whom 14 (2%) manifested minor dermatological reactions. The adjusted relative risk of death in the intervention group compared with the control group was 0.81 (P < 0.001). The number needed to treat with VCT and adjunctive cotrimoxazole to prevent one death during anti-TB treatment was 12.5. INTERPRETATION: This study shows that VCT and adjunctive cotrimoxazole is feasible, safe and reduces mortality rates in TB patients under routine programme conditions

Community support is associated with better antiretroviral treatment outcomes in a resource-limited rural district in Malawi.

A study was carried in a rural district in Malawi among HIV-positive individuals placed on antiretroviral treatment (ART) in order to verify if community support influences ART outcomes. Standardized ART outcomes in areas of the district with and without community support were compared. Between April 2003 (when ART was started) and December 2004 a total of 1634 individuals had been placed on ART. Eight hundred and ninety-five (55%) individuals were offered community support, while 739 received no such support. For all patients placed on ART with and without community support, those who were alive and continuing ART were 96 and 76%, respectively (P<0.001); death was 3.5 and 15.5% (P<0.001); loss to follow-up was 0.1 and 5.2% (P<0.001); and stopped ART was 0.8 and 3.3% (P<0.001). The relative risks (with 95% CI) for alive and on ART [1.26 (1.21-1.32)], death [0.22 (0.15-0.33)], loss to follow-up [0.02 (0-0.12)] and stopped ART [0.23 (0.08-0.54)] were all significantly better in those offered community support (P<0.001). Community support is associated with a considerably lower death rate and better overall ART outcomes. The community might be an unrecognized and largely 'unexploited resource' that could play an important contributory role in countries desperately trying to scale up ART with limited resources

How can the community contribute in the fight against HIV/AIDS and tuberculosis? An example from a rural district in Malawi.

This paper describes (a) the experience of initiating community involvement in HIV/AIDS and tuberculosis (TB) activities in a rural district in Malawi and (b) some of the different ways in which the community is contributing in the fight against these two diseases and the outcomes of their involvement. During a 2-year period, a total of 21,358 (41%) of 52,510 HIV tests performed at voluntary counselling and HIV testing (VCT) sites in the district were conducted by lay community counsellors. A team of 465 community volunteers, 1,362 trained family caregivers and 9 community nurses provided care and support to 5,106 HIV-positive individuals, of whom 2,006 (39%) were in WHO stage III or IV. All those in WHO stage III or IV were on co-trimoxazole prophylaxis and 895 (45%) of these were also on antiretroviral treatment. A total of 2,714 TB patients, of whom 1627 (60%) were HIV-positive, also received care and support. A total of 1,694 orphans were trained in vocational skills. Twelve vegetable gardens and three maize farms were set up, and pre-school activities were organised for 900 orphans. Communities can play an important contributory role in reducing the burden of HIV/AIDS and TB and in mitigating its impact. Despite this, community resources in most settings are often under-exploited and their role remains undefined