Towards Universal Access by 2010

As estimated at the end of 2006, 39.5 million people around the world are now living with HIV. The AIDS crisis continues to worsen in many parts of the world, in particular, in countries where the response suffers from major weaknesses in health care systems.

WHO is focusing its support to countries on five strategic areas that are key in strengthening health services to fight HIV/AIDS. The WHO focus areas are:
- Expanding HIV testing and counselling;
- Maximizing HIV prevention;
- Accelerating treatment scale-up;
- Strengthening health systems; and
- Investing in strategic information.

On World AIDS Day this year, we are releasing photo stories about Majoalane Mokone, a nurse/clinician in Saint Leo clinic, Lesotho; Rose Dossou, a mother and HIV activist from Abidjan, Côte d'Ivoire; Mwavita Ikirezi, a 12-year old girl in Kigali, Rwanda; Tilahun Worku, a former AIDS doctor from Bahir Dar, Ethiopia; and Sibongile Maseko, a team leader in the Ministry of Health, Swaziland. Each of the stories portrays an individual life experience, affected by HIV/AIDS. Each story presents a piece of reality of how patients, health workers, and decision-makers in countries are tackling some of the outstanding priorities.

These stories also bring to life the many challenges that exist within health sectors in countries and which will need to be addressed as the international community moves towards universal access to HIV services by 2010.

source:www.who.int