Kathmandu, February 16 More than half a million people died of tuberculosis in the SAARC countries in 2017. Director at SAARC Tuberculosis and HIV/AIDS Centre, Dr Rajendra Pant, said 1.8 million people died of tuberculosis last year, while 4.3 people were deprived of treatment the world over last year. Similarly, nearly 70,000 people died of HIV/AIDS in the SAARC countries in 2017, while 2.3 million are suffering from HIV. Against this backdrop, the SAARC parliamentary meeting is being held in Kathmandu on May 2 and 3. The meeting is being held for the first time at the joint initiative of the Ministry of Health and Population, Education and Health Committee of the House of Representatives and SAARC Tuberculosis and HIV/AIDS Centre. The meeting will hold discussion on the status of the disease, investment to curb the disease, relations of the inter-state acts and rules, among others. At a time when donor agencies have reduced assistance, the governments have been urged to increase investment in the fight against tuberculosis and HIV/AIDS.