Kenya launches new campaign for HIV and TB

Kenya has launched a $975,000 (£500,000) campaign to increase the numbers of HIV-positive people who are screened for tuberculosis.

The government estimates that half the 1.2 million HIV-positive people in Kenya are also infected with TB and the campaign aims to educate health workers to rest for the two associated diseases, reports Kenya's Nation.

James Nyikal, public health and sanitation permanent secretary, said that health workers detect about 20 per cent of TB cases among people with HIV and told the publication: "That is why we want our health workers to ensure all patients are tested for both diseases in public, private and mission hospitals."

According to Mr Nyikal, Kenya has recently received more than 800,000 doses of vaccine after more than 200,000 infants were at risk of the disease due to a government shortage of vaccines.

Recently, Kenya's ministry of public health admitted it had mismanaged TB for not screening patients who go for HIV testing, reports the East African Standard.