eXecutive SuMMarY Tuberculosis (TB) and HIV/AIDS are intricately linked. There are currently  million people ‘co-infected’ with both diseases and half of all deaths of HIV- positive people are due to TB. Although there is growing international recognition of the nature of the relationship between the two diseases, there is a massive failure to respond to the dual epidemic in an integrated way. Despite clear statements from the World Health Organisation and others on the importance of implementing a joined-up approach, TB and HIV programmes continue to work in isolation from each other. This must change. For people infected with both HIV and TB, to treat one disease is not enough. Patients receiving HIV treatment can still die of TB, and patients being treated for TB often still die from AIDS. Médecins Sans Frontières (MSF) currently runs TB projects in 44 countries and HIV/AIDS projects in  countries around the world. Based on our experience on the ground, MSF believes that the global response to these diseases remains shockingly inadequate. Urgent action is needed to combat TB and HIV and stop the rising tide of needless deaths.