1/65

Eswatini: Responding to COVID-19 in a country already fighting a dual HIV/TB epidemic

Eswatini has the highest percentage of people living with HIV in the world. Almost one-thirds of adults are HIV-positive. The country is also severely affected by a tuberculosis (TB) epidemic and 70 per cent of all TB patients are co-infected with HIV.

Alongside this, the first confirmed patient with COVID-19 was diagnosed in Eswatini on 14 March; since then, the number of patients with COVID-19 has grown daily.

While it remains unclear how COVID-19 will impact people living with HIV, it is known that patients with existing chronic illnesses and weakened immune systems are more at risk. TB is a disease that attacks the lungs, like COVID-19, and it is therefore likely that TB patients will suffer more severe forms and worse complications if they become infected.

Médecins Sans Frontières (MSF) has been fighting the dual HIV/TB epidemic in Eswatini since 2007. Here, Dr Bernhard Kerschberger, MSF Head of Mission in Eswatini, describes the challenges his team face responding to COVID-19 in a setting with high rates of HIV and TB, and how adapting care for patients is important to reduce the risk of exposure for the most vulnerable people.

MSFSTO41777

Linked assets

Spokesperson - Dr Bernhard Kerschberger, HOM

Video Observed Therapy (VOT) for MDR-TB patients

MSF HIV testing Site in Nhlangano

Matsanjeni health centre

Face masks

MSF Team in the car

Video Observed Therapy (VOT) for MDR-TB patients

MSF Team in the car

HIV self-test kit distribution

Video Observed Therapy (VOT) for MDR-TB patients

HIV Self-test kit distribution

Video Observed Therapy (VOT) for MDR-TB patients

MSF HIV testing Site in Nhlangano

Nhlangano - Street

Matsanjeni health centre

Video Observed Therapy (VOT) training for MDR-TB patients in Matsanjeni health centre

TB Patient in Matsanjeni health centre

Matsanjeni health centre

TB Patient in Matsanjeni health centre

Matsanjeni health centre

Mobile TB clinic

Monile TB clinic

Mobile TB clinic

MSF team travels in the car to Matsenjeni health centre

MSF Team in the car

Nhlangano - Street

MSF team travels in the car to Matsenjeni health centre

Conceptually similar

Swaziland - Fighting a dual epidemic

COVID-19 in Northwest SYRIA - More complexity to an already catastrophic situation

MSF supports COVID-19 response in North West Cameroon

COVID-19 response in Intensive car unit of HUG

COVID-19 in Nongo Epidemic Treatment Center

COVID-19 activities in indigenous communities - Brazil

COVID-19 MSF intervenes in IRAN

COVID-19 in Amazon region - Brazil

COVID-19 intervention in the Amazon region of Peru

Covid-19 Response in Kinshasa

MSF starts COVID-19 activities in Switzerland

khayelitsha COVID-19 vaccination campaign

MSF Covid-19 Response in Pakistan

COVID-19 MSF UAE Message by the Executive Director

COVID-19 Health Promotion: North and South Kivu

Al Gamhouria COVID Intervention - Pictures March 2021

Measles Intervention in Boso Manzi, Mongala province

COVID-19 MSF Mobile Team in retirement home "Résidence Magnolia" in Jette, Brussels.

The abnormal normality in the West Bank amid COVID-19 outbreak

Fighting against coronavirus COVID-19 in East Africa

Add to lightbox

Title Eswatini: Responding to COVID-19 in a country already fighting a dual HIV/TB epidemic

Unique Identifier Code / URN MSFSTO41777

Editor's rating ★★★ (F)

Date taken / Date Recorded 05/05/2020 12:00 AM

Sub type Standard Folder

Date taken / Date Recorded 05/05/2020 12:00 AM

Keywords

COVID-19