Progress on global access to HIV antiretroviral therapy : an update on "3 x 5"
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WHO and UNAIDS launched a strategy for ensuring treatment for 3 million people living with HIV and AIDS in low and middle income countries by the end of 2005 - the "3 x 5" target. Since late 2003, coverage of antiretroviral therapy (ART) has more than doubled from 400,000 to approximately 1 million receiving treatment by the end of June 2005. 14 of these countries are providing ART to at least 50% of those who need it, consistent with the 3 x 5 target. This interim report highlights progress made to date and the major obstacles that remain to the rapid scale up of HIV treatment. It looks primarily at the reasons for the successes and failures of scaling up HIV/AIDS interventions in different settings. The report also makes recommendations concerning the approaches needed to overcome bottlenecks as well as the need for sustainable financing mechanisms and greater harmonisation of effort by technical and financing partners at country level