WHO policy on collaborative TB/HIV activities: guidelines for national programmes and other stakeholders
Publication year: 2012
In 2004, the World Health Organization (WHO) published an interim policy on collaborative TB/HIV activities
in response to demand from countries for immediate guidance on actions to decrease the dual burden of
tuberculosis (TB) and human immunodeficiency virus (HIV). The term interim was used because the evidence
was incomplete at that time. Since then, additional evidence has been generated from randomized controlled
trials, observational studies, operational research and best practices from programmatic implementation of the
collaborative TB/HIV activities recommended by the policy. Furthermore, a number of TB and HIV guidelines and
policy recommendations have been developed by WHO’s Stop TB and HIV/AIDS departments. Updated policy
guidelines were therefore warranted to consolidate the latest available evidence and WHO recommendations on
the management of HIV-related TB for national programme managers, implementers and other stakeholders.
The process of updating the policy was overseen by a WHO Steering Group and advised by a Policy Updating
Group that followed WHO recommendations for developing guidelines. The Policy Updating Group comprised
policy-makers, programme managers, experts in TB and HIV, donor agencies, civil society organizations including
people living with HIV, and a grading of recommendations assessment, development and evaluation (GRADE)
methodologist. The WHO Steering Group prepared the initial draft, which was circulated to the Policy Updating
Group and discussed via e-mail and a conference call. The refined draft policy was reviewed again by the
members of the Policy Updating Group and sent to a wide range of peer reviewers before finalization.