Antiretroviral Treatment in the Spotlight: A Public Health Analysis in Latin America and the Caribbean 2013

Abstract

[Introduction] Since the launch of the Treatment 2.0 initiative, antiretroviral treatment (ART) in Latin America, the Caribbean, and throughout the world has made substantial progress. The highest political levels have been motivated to expand antiretroviral treatment by promoting the application of scientific advances showing that ART saves lives and significantly reduces the transmission of HIV. At the same time, in June 2013, the World Health Organization (WHO) published consolidated guidelines on the use of antiretroviral drugs for treating and preventing HIV infection. Applying the WHO recommendations implies providing ART to a greater number of people. That is the context of this second report on the situation of antiretroviral treatment in Latin America and the Caribbean, its progress, difficulties, and vulnerabilities. The baseline is taken from the 2010 data published in the first report. Progress in the last two years in care and antiretroviral treatment and how these advances are related to changes in the WHO recommendations are shown, as well as neglected or vulnerable areas. The report is also intended to stimulate sustainable regional progress toward achieving the goal of universal access to antiretroviral treatment by 2015. For the first time, preparation of the report was supported by the joint efforts of several key partners in the region, such as the Horizontal Technical Cooperation Group of Latin America and the Caribbean (GCTH), and civil society networks.