GLOBAL ACTION IS HELPING...HERE'S HOW!
3 by 5 Initiative
On World AIDS Day 2003, the World Health Organisation (WHO) and UNAIDS released a detailed and concrete plan to reach the 3 by 5 target of providing antiretroviral treatment to three million people living with AIDS in developing countries and those in transition by the end of 2005.
Why Antiretroviral Therapy?
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ART prolongs lives, making HIV/AIDS a chronic disease, not a death sentence. Affluent countries have seen a 70% decline in HIV/AIDS deaths. |
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ART will help calm fears and change attitudes towards HIV. |
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ART, as part of a prevention plan, can significantly reduce HIV transmission. |
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ART, once very costly, is now much more affordable. |
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ART can reduce overall health care costs and restore quality of life. |
WHO and UNAIDS are working to make ART accessible to all.
What will 3 by 5 do?
To reach the 3 by 5 target, WHO and UNAIDS focused on five critical areas:
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Simplified, standardized tools to deliver antiretroviral therapy. |
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A new service to ensure an effective, reliable supply of medicines and diagnostics. |
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Rapid identification, dissemination and application of new knowledge and successful strategies. |
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Urgent, sustained support for countries. |
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Global leadership, strong partnership and advocacy. |
While the 3 by 5 initiative fell short of its target, it was a major catalyst in mobilizing international support and action towards increasing the level of HIV treatment access. At the G-8 Finance Ministers meeting in June 2005, a commitment was made to move towards global treatment by 2010.
Source:
www.who.int/3by5 , www.who.int/hiv
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