National scale-up of HIV testing and provision of HIV care to tuberculosis patients in Kenya.

SETTING

Kenya, one of the 22 tuberculosis (TB) high-burden countries, whose TB burden is fuelled by the human immunodeficiency virus (HIV).

OBJECTIVE

To monitor and evaluate the implementation of HIV testing and provision of HIV care to TB patients in Kenya through the establishment of a routine TB-HIV integrated surveillance system.

DESIGN

A descriptive report of the status of implementation of HIV testing and provision of HIV interventions to TB patients one year after the introduction of the revised TB case recording and reporting system.

RESULTS

From July 2005 to June 2006, 88% of 112835 TB patients were reported to the National Leprosy and TB Control Programme, 98773 (87.9%) of whom were reported using a revised recording and reporting system that included TB-HIV indicators. HIV testing of TB patients increased from 31.5% at the beginning of this period to 59% at the end. Of the 46428 patients tested for HIV, 25558 (55%) were found to be HIV-positive, 85% of whom were provided with cotrimoxazole preventive treatment and 28% with antiretroviral treatment.

CONCLUSION

A country-wide integrated TB-HIV surveillance system in TB patients can be implemented and provides essential data to monitor and evaluate TB-HIV related interventions.