Drug Resistance Related to AIDS, tuberculosis and malaria: issues, challenges and the way forward:

Abstract

With just 10% of the world population, sub-Saharan Africa has the highest burden of HIV/AIDS, tuberculosis and malaria in the world. At its fifty-third session in 2003, the WHO Regional Committee for Africa adopted a resolution on scaling up AIDS, tuberculosis and malaria interventions.1 The resolution recognized that both access to and adequate utilization of effective treatment with quality-assured medicines are crucial for reducing the disease burden. 2. However, efforts to improve access to treatment are hampered by development of HIV, TB and malaria drug resistance. Drug resistance is defined as the ability of an infectious agent to survive or multiply despite the administration and absorption of medicine given in doses equal to or higher than those usually recommended but within tolerance of the subject. This is due to genetic mutations and is a major threat to control of HIV/AIDS, TB and malaria.