AHF joins the consortium to strengthen TB and HIV response in South Africa
By: Aphelele Buqwana
The TB Accountability Consortium’s newest partner, the AIDS Healthcare Foundation (AHF) hopes to focus on reducing TB stigma in South Africa as part of its obligation in the consortium.
For AHF, the partnership with TBAC signifies an important step in strengthening integrated responses to both TB and HIV, particularly in communities burdened by both diseases.
AHF is a global non-profit organisation providing advanced HIV prevention services, testing and healthcare to 2 million people in over 45 countries. In South Africa, AHF has been involved in community-led HIV treatment and prevention programmes for many years, with initiatives that include mobile clinics, awareness campaigns and youth empowerment projects.
According to Dr. Nombuso Madonsela, Country Program Director at AHF, this partnership means bringing together platforms, resources and advocacy power to ensure no one is left behind. “In South Africa, where the burden of both diseases is among the highest globally, this partnership is not just medical, it is a moral imperative,” Madonsela stated. The collaboration reflects growing recognition that tackling TB and HIV effectively requires an integrated approach, especially given the overlapping vulnerabilities and social determinants that fuel both epidemics.
“TB thrives in environments of poverty, overcrowding and malnutrition so much so that it is largely referred to as a disease of poverty or heavily associated with that —social determinants that amplify vulnerability and perpetuate cycles of suffering,” she explained. “Advocacy must therefore target these root causes with the same precision as clinical interventions, demanding policies that address housing, nutrition, and economic inequities alongside diagnostics and treatment,” Madonsela noted.
TB is the leading cause of death among people living with HIV in the country, with 54% of people diagnosed with TB also co-infected with HIV. Despite being preventable and treatable, TB continues to claim 153 lives everyday amounting to over 56,000 deaths each year, particularly in under-resourced communities.
Madonsela highlights that, from the advocacy and partnership side, integration is key. “Strengthening TB response directly bolsters HIV outcomes, reducing mortality and improving quality of life for those co-infected. These needs coordinated efforts: integrated testing, treatment, and follow-up care that treat the person, not just the disease,” she said. “Partnerships must extend beyond clinics to include community organisations, faith-based groups (FBOs), and workplaces- spaces where TB spreads and stigma persists. Messaging must be clear, compassionate, and inclusive, dismantling fear and empowering those affected to seek care without shame,” Madonsela stressed.
As part of the collaboration, AHF plans to expand its community-level TB efforts. According to Madonsela, this includes increasing advocacy to address stigma and discrimination, facilitating community dialogues, encouraging TB testing in high-risk areas and supporting TB champions to share their lived experiences.
“AHF will encourage TB literacy in facilities and partner networks, engage decision-makers around TB financing including contributing to strategies to leverage innovative financing models for TB/HIV in mines and cascade to communities and also conduct outreach activities to screen more people for TB in vulnerable communities,” Madonsela said.
Sihle Mahonga-Ndawonde, project coordinator at the TBAC, stated that the consortium remains dedicated to building a united and inclusive advocacy movement to end TB and this partnership embodies a meaningful alignment in the fight against both TB and HIV.
“We are honoured to welcome the AHF, a global organisation that has supported over 2 million people with lifesaving HIV treatment to our growing partnership. AHF brings a wealth of experience in serving people living with HIV, who remain most affected by TB,” she noted. “While South Africa has made historic gains against HIV, the fight against TB is far from over. We believe that by joining forces through advocacy and service, AHF’s partnership with the Consortium will help bring us closer to ending TB for good,” Mahonga-Ndawonde noted.