OECS Continues to Strengthen Treatment and Care of HIV-TB Patients

OECS Media Release

As part of its strategic goal of eliminating Tuberculosis (TB), in accordance with the framework for low incidence countries, the OECS HIV TB Elimination Project is steadfast in its efforts to strengthen treatment, care and support initiatives.

A major part of this goal continues to be the development of clinical guidelines to manage the care of patients with TB, TB/HIV. To this end, the Project recently held a two-day regional workshop in Saint Lucia from October 16-17th 2017 to review the new draft TB/HIV treatment guidelines for the OECS region. 

The workshop entailed the thorough review of the draft guidelines led by leading clinicians for TB and HIV, pharmacists, nurses, academics, laboratory managers and members of civil society. These guidelines were produced by the Technical Working group on TB/HIV for the OECS region and will be further reviewed post workshop by experts from regional partners such as the Pan American Health Organization (PAHO).

The production of the new HIV/TB guidelines entails several benefits to countries in the OECS region:

  • Programme standardisation

There is now added capacity for standardisation in the clinical management of TB, TB/HIV and also the opportunity to make programmatic changes to align with the increasingly integrated TB and HIV programmes.

This augurs well for health systems strengthening and providing integrated care at all levels.

  • Benchmark implementation

These guidelines provide an opportunity to set benchmarks for laboratory diagnostics and testing for TB, TB/HIV so that they are in line with international standards.

  • Harmonisation

Guidelines will also help to harmonise the treatment of HIV and TB patients and are aligned with the recently updated OECS HIV/STI guidelines 2017.

The OECS region is one step closer to having optimal clinical and programmatic standards for the treatment, care and support of patients with TB and TB/HIV.  

The HIV/TB Elimination Project remains resolute in achieving the strategic goal of TB Elimination in the OECS region by 2050 and AIDS by 2030.

Dr. Cleophas D'Auvergne

Project Coordinator, HIV/TB Elimination Project, Organisation of Eastern Caribbean Sates

OECS Communications Unit

Organisation of Eastern Caribbean States

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About The Organisation of Eastern Caribbean States

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The Organisation of Eastern Caribbean States (OECS) is an International Organisation dedicated to economic harmonisation and integration, protection of human and legal rights, and the encouragement of good governance among independent and non-independent countries in the Eastern Caribbean. The OECS came into being on June 18th 1981, when seven Eastern Caribbean countries signed a treaty agreeing to cooperate with each other while promoting unity and solidarity among its Members. The Treaty became known as the Treaty of Basseterre, so named in honour of the capital city of St. Kitts and Nevis where it was signed. The OECS today, currently has eleven members, spread across the Eastern Caribbean comprising Antigua and Barbuda, Commonwealth of Dominica, Grenada, Montserrat, St. Kitts and Nevis, Saint Lucia, St Vincent and The Grenadines, British Virgin Islands, Anguilla, Martinique and Guadeloupe. 

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