Treatment
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Source: USAID/Senegal |
HIV/AIDS continues to be one of the deadliest infectious diseases in the world. Sub-Saharan Africa remains the epicenter of the pandemic, where HIV infection is the leading cause of death. In 2009, 33.3 million people were living with HIV, and approximately 68 percent of them were living in sub-Saharan Africa. Of the 1.8 million HIV-related deaths across the world, sub-Saharan Africa comprised more than two-thirds of the global total, with an estimated 1.3 million deaths. The cumulative toll of the HIV epidemic places significant burden on delicate health systems, diminishes economic productivity, and disrupts childhood education - all of which threaten to derail progress in development in many countries.
Thankfully, treatment of HIV infection through the use of antiretroviral therapy (ART) not only improves the health of those living with HIV, but also helps decrease transmission of the virus. USAID works to increase the availability of ART in developing countries, allowing people infected with HIV/AIDS to live longer and more productive lives.
The U.S. Government is the world’s largest donor to HIV/AIDS programs worldwide, providing over $5.7 billion in FY 2010 in bilateral support through the U.S. President’s Emergency Plan for AIDS Relief (PEPFAR). As PEPFAR’s largest implementing partner, USAID supports interventions that provide antiretroviral drugs and improve access to quality treatment services. These programs work to train health care providers, strengthen health facilities and local capacity to better oversee HIV programs, enhance supply chain capacity, support long-term human resource development, establish treatment protocols, and advance supportive policy initiatives.
Issue Brief
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