More than 5 mln people receiving HIV treatment
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The number of people receiving lifesaving HIV treatment rose by 1.2 million in 2009 to 5.2 million across the world, the biggest increase ever in a single year, the World Health Organization said Monday.
"This is the largest increase in people accessing treatment in a single year. It is an extremely encouraging development," said Hiroki Nakatani, WHO assistant director-general for HIV, Tuberculosis, Malaria and Neglected Tropical Diseases.
Between 2003 and 2010, the number of patients receiving antiretroviral treatment increased twelve-fold, resulting in millions of lives saved, according to the Geneva-based international body.
The latest number was released during the 18th International AIDS conference, which kicked off here on Sunday and will last until Friday.
WHO officials called for earlier treatment for people infected with HIV.
"Starting treatment earlier gives us an opportunity to enable people living with HIV to stay healthier and live longer," said Gottfried Hirnschall, WHO director of HIV/AIDS.
Earlier treatment can prevent opportunistic infections, including tuberculosis (TB), the number one killer of people with HIV.
The strength of a person's immune system is measured by CD4 cells. A healthy person has a CD4 count of 1000 to 1500 cells/mm3. WHO previously recommended starting HIV treatment when a person's CD4 count drops below 200 cells/mm3 but now advises starting HIV treatment at 350 cells/mm3 or below.
WHO's treatment guidelines expand the number of people recommended for HIV treatment from an estimated 10 million to 15 million. The cost needed for HIV treatment in 2010 will be about 9 billion U.S. dollars, according to the Joint United Nations Program on HIV/AIDS (UNAIDS).
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