The World Health Organisation has published a detailed review of experience in delivering antiretroviral therapy in resource-limited settings. The guide, produced by the UK Department for International Development Health Systems Resource Centre, aims to increase understanding of the requirements for
introducing and scaling up provision of ART as part of comprehensive HIV/AIDS
programmes in resource-poor countries. The paper provides an overview of
experience and lessons learned with regard to:
- The feasibility of ART in resource-poor settings.
- The different approaches being taken to delivery of ART.
- The issues to be considered in scaling up ART provision.
Click here to download the report
WHO has also published draft technical and operational recommendations for achieving its 3 x 5 goals – the delivery of antiretroviral therapy to 3 million people in resource-limited settings by the end of 2005.
The recommendations emphasise the need to devolve care as quickly as possible to the primary health care level within the health care system, and to involve community organizations, people with HIV and community health care workers in the delivery of treatment and its ongoing monitoring.
Drawn up by an expert meeting that took place in Zambia in November 2003, the recommendations draw in experience from existing treatment programmes, and provide guidance on the actions to be prioritized during the first stage of treatment scale-up.