On the World Day of the Sick 2020, Caritas responds to neglected populations suffering from all the major diseases and to the health needs
A diagnosis of tuberculosis is upsetting – even though a strict treatment regime will usually beat all but the most drug-resistant strains.
But when TB infects someone whose immune system is already compromised by the HIV virus, doctors begin talking of the “deadly duo.” In Africa, at least one person living with both HIV and TB dies every three minutes. Children with TB and HIV who have not been diagnosed and treated, rarely survive beyond their second birthday.
Through its HAART for Children campaign, Caritas is pressing for access to the medications required to treat both TB and HIV to be available in child-friendly forms. Caritas also wants government and the pharmaceutical industry to take determined action by providing diagnostic testing for children in poor and rural environments. Caritas also urges more effective help for adults with TB or those who are co-infected.
0 %
In Swaziland, TB causes 50%
of all AIDS-related deaths.
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In Swaziland, it is estimated that the TB and
HIV dual infection rate is 79%.
Caritas Updates on Tuberculosis
The members of the Caritas Internationalis Task Force on The Global Fund and representatives of the Global Fund to Fight AIDS, Tuberculosis, and Malaria will meet 11-13 December. The meeting in Geneva is to deepen their partnership in combating diseases among the world’s poorest communities. The meeting will also allow taskforce members to reinforce their ...
Every year, on 24 March, the international community observes World TB Day. This year Caritas is calling for more children living with tuberculosis to be diagnosed, treated and cured.
The Catholic AIDS and HIV Network (CHAN) is a network of Catholic Church-related partnership organisations and religious orders from Africa, Asia, Europe, Oceania and North America.
Caritas supports a hospital in the isolated and cut-off Nuba Mountains in Sudan. Conflict has left the region facing a food emergency with one in five households affected.
Caritas, along with UNAIDS, organised an AIDS consultation in Rome on 25 and 26 February to strengthen the joint response of Faith-Based Organisations (FBOs), UNAIDS and other agencies AIDS on a global level.
Caritas recently employed a new strategy for its advocacy efforts – by participating in an exhibition at the United Nations Centre Geneva as part of the 22nd Session of the Human Rights Council, which was held during March. The exhibit aimed to raise awareness among government officials and human rights experts about the need to ...
World leaders gathered at UN headquarters in June 2011 to assess progress in the global AIDS response. They noted that global HIV incidence was declining, access to combination anti-retroviral treatment was expanding, and a global movement had been mobilized to respect and protect the dignity of all affected by HIV.
Caritas calls on governments and pharmaceutical companies to develop “child-friendly” forms of medicines to fight both HIV and tuberculosis.
How Caritas works on Health & HIV
Caritas campaigns for better access to health care, focusing its efforts in the 4 key areas of preventing and treating HIV and AIDS, combating tuberculosis, curtailing non-communicable diseases and preparing for a possible influenza pandemic. Learn more.